Common Name:
Cottonmouth or Water moccasin

Scientific Name:
Agkistrodon piscivorous

Identification: 15-55 in; Dark brown or black 
with vague black or dark brown crossbands; a 
black and white line runs from the eye to the 
angle of the mouth; belly brown with large 
blackish blotches; juveniles have a distinct, 
boldly crossbanded pattern of brown and pink 
or orange with a yellow tail; scales keeled.

Habits: Cottonmouths frequent swamplands, 
ponds, lakes and stream borders, especially 
those with dense canopies. They're often seen coiled on the embankments, or on logs and stumps in water.

Distribution: Throughout Louisiana.

Comments: Highly venomous!!! Stay away!!! If provoked the cottonmouth or water moccasin will coil (if not already so) and open its mouth to show the white lining (hence the name cotton mouth) and vibrate its tail. Cottonmouths tend to stay in their spot if approached instead of moving away. They eat fish, frogs and small mammals.