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A guy I work with saw this snake in his back yard (in South-Eastern Michigan) the other day. He said it was about three feet long. I'm thinking it was an Eastern Milk Snake (as there are really only three or four snakes in Michigan that look like this), but he saw it during the day, swimming across his pool - not especially typical of a Milk Snake. It also looks sort of like an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, but I can't see any sort of rattle on the tail, and it seems like they are usually a bit thicker. Any thoughts?

P.S. - to see a larger pic go here

I'm no expert but I would say that is a corn snake. Like I said I'm not an expert so I am most likely wrong..lol...but that is definately not a rattle snake.

Could be a fox snake also...

It looks alot like a Fox Snake to me too, though they aren't terribly common their range does fall on to south-eastern Michigan. Note that they are seldom found more than about 20 or 30 miles from the Great Lakes, are you within that range? It's helpfull to look at the snakes cross-section, rat snakes (including the fox snake and corn snake) have a loaf shaped body while most other native snakes are round. More detailed shots, especially anterior photos, would be helpful.

Cam Hanna
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"I'm tired of being a wannabe bowler! I wanna be a bowler!!"
-- Homer Simpson

That looks like an eastern milk to me, Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum, I think.
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roomates:
1.0.0 anery corn
1.0.0 normal corn
1.1.0 rough greens
0.0.2 dekay's
0.0.1 red milk
2.0.0 false map turtles
0.0.2 common musk turtles

>>A guy I work with saw this snake in his back yard (in South-Eastern Michigan) the other day. He said it was about three feet long. I'm thinking it was an Eastern Milk Snake (as there are really only three or four snakes in Michigan that look like this), but he saw it during the day, swimming across his pool - not especially typical of a Milk Snake. It also looks sort of like an Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, but I can't see any sort of rattle on the tail, and it seems like they are usually a bit thicker. Any thoughts?
>>
>>P.S. - to see a larger pic go here
>>

I would put money on it being an Eastern Milksnake. I don't see a Massasauga being that light bodied or having that much color. A head shot would tell for sure it wasn't a fox. Tail shot would help confirm it isn't a rattler.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

Red rat snakes do not naturaly occur in Michigan. Fox snakes have dark brown blotches and a yellowish body. What you have is an Eastern Milk.

Frank
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"The luxury of not getting involved departed with the last lifeboat Skipper..."

im pretty experienced with snakes and my money is on an eastern milksnake. Definetly not a rattlesnake and more than likely no a fox snake. colors and pattern are common to that of an eastern milk. (definetly not venomous)

I usually find my milk snakes near or in really shallow water, but never swimming in deep water. But yes it is a Milk Snake.

Brandon