Want the good news? None of them are dangerous.

I know that a lot of people fear snakes. I'm not one of those people. It's not like I'm going to run and get a pet snake, but they don't flip me out. That being said, I think that would be different if I were in a lake. According to , Maine has only 9 species of snakes, and most are on land. Only one of the 9 is a true water snake, the Northern water snake. But the other four love water and could be found in a lake. But none of the 5 should scare you! Here's what they look like so you don't kill them, they are all nonvenomous.

Northern Water Snake

The Northern water snake is the only true water snake in Maine. It is a nonvenomous snake that can grow up to four feet long. If it feels threatened, it can produce a musky odor and try to bite you to defend itself. So, the best advice...leave it alone and it will leave you alone.

Eastern Garter Snake

The Eastern garter snake is found throughout most of North America, including Maine. They are pretty small about one to two feet long. They can deal with the cold better than most snakes, so they are around earlier and later than most.  Eastern garter snakes love water like ponds, streams, wetlands, and lakes, but it spends most of its time on land.

Eastern Ribbon Snake

I knew I had a wet basement! I saw one of these suckers ducking under my stairs one day! They love bodies of water. They are semi-aquatic and often found in or near wetlands, swamps, ponds, and lakes. They are shy and hide from you quickly. They are super fast.

Northern Red-Bellied Snake

Northern red-bellied snakes are tiny! So even if they are sharing your lake, you probably won't see them. They hide a lot under things like leaves and ground cover. That's where they find most of their meals. They are only about 7-11 inches and skinny. These snakes eat the things you hate like slugs and snails.

Northern Brown Snake

Northern brown snakes are not considered a semiaquatic species, but they do like to hang by the water. They like those slugs and snails too. They are also pretty small only around a foot long. They are pretty slow and not a quick darting snake. They are also not dangerous.