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Reptiles in If you see a snake…
Below: Below:
Basking adult male, showing how this species is able to Adult female (left) showing two light bands on
flatten its body to better absorb the sun’s heat. back, and white-centred dark blotches. Adult male
Jim Foster/English Nature (right) showing bright green sides, most obvious in
spring. Much larger than common lizard.
Hugh Clark/Nature Photographers Ltd.
Right: Young slow-worms are golden, silver or copper on top. They have
black sides and a black stripe down the back, ending in a blotch on the
head. Females retain this basic pattern, while males lose it with age.
Laurie Campbell/NHPA.
Far right: Adult males have few obvious markings, often being plain grey
or brown. Note the shiny, cylindrical appearance. Slow-worms may have
blunt tails. Mike Lane/NHPA.
Adder
Vipera berus
Left:
Some female and juvenile adders are reddish-brown, as here.
Occasionally adders are all black (melanistic) with just a faint
trace of the zig-zag markings apparent.
Robin Chittenden/FLPA.
Below:
Adult females (left) have a light brown background with darker
brown markings, while males (right) are grey or whitish with
black markings.
Joe Blossom/NHPA.
Smooth snake
Coronella austriaca
Above:
The smooth snake is normally grey or
brown with darker paired markings
down the back. It is very rarely found
in gardens.
R. Wilmshurst/FLPA.
Non-natives
Right:
Escaped or abandoned pet snakes, such
as this corn snake from North America,
show a wide range of colours and sizes.
Leonard Lee Rue/FLPA.
Right: Occasionally grass snakes are very dark all over, and the light neck
marks are reduced or missing. However the black marks on the neck and
sides are still present. Mike Lane/NHPA.
Far right: Juvenile grass snakes often have very obvious light neck
markings. They are around 15 cm (6 in) and very thin at hatching, in late
August to September. Jim Foster/English Nature.
Common Light and dark spots, flecks and stripes 14 cm Widespread across England but Heathland, bogs, moorland, Rare, except where good
lizard on brown/grey background. Very variable. (5.5 in) normally occurs in small areas where woodland edge, rough grassland; habitats adjoin garden.
Young may be all brown or black. Often preferred habitats occur. Absent from often found in derelict urban areas
basks on rocks, wood piles, etc. intensive agricultural areas. and on railway banks.
Slow-worm Brown, copper, golden or grey; may have 35 cm (14 in) Widespread across England. Common Heathland, bogs, moorland, Frequent if slow-worms
black/dark brown sides and thin stripe on (NB: many in some localities, but absent from woodland edge, rough grassland; present in general area, and
back. Small head, often with dark spot. slow-worms intensive agricultural areas. often found in derelict urban areas garden has long grass and
Very shiny. Tail often blunt. Normally lose their and on railway banks. refuges such as wood piles.
discovered underneath objects lying tails, so can May be found in city
on ground. be shorter). gardens.
Sand Light and dark spots/blotches on brown or 18 cm Highly restricted. Mostly in Dorset, a Predominantly on dry heathland Very rare – only likely near
lizard green background. Two light bands on (7 in) few populations in Merseyside (Sefton (south) or sand dunes (Merseyside). heathland in Dorset or
either side of back. Normally Coast), Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex, May also occur on adjacent grassland, sandy areas on Sefton
seen basking. Berkshire, Devon, Cornwall. derelict urban areas, railway banks. Coast.
Grass Background: olive-green, brown or grey. 75 cm Widespread across central and Normally associated with ponds, Frequent, especially close
snake Neck: yellow or white mark, next to black (2.5 ft) southern England, but much rarer lakes, streams, rivers, canals, to ponds, farms or stables
mark. Black bars down sides, some black north of the Midlands. marshes. Travels widely in with muck heaps. Can
spots on top. Markings are occasionally surrounding habitats: woodland, travel long distances.
faint. Normally seen in or near pond, or grassland, low intensity farmland, Compost heaps and ponds
basking in sunny spot. Very fast-moving. heathland, derelict urban areas. may attract grass snakes.
Adder Background: grey or brown; may be 55 cm Found in most counties of England, Heathland, bogs, moorland, Rare, except when near to
reddish. Dark brown, reddish or black (2 ft) but restricted to distinct patches of woodland edge, rough grassland; favoured habitats - more
zig-zag from head to tail. Spots on sides. suitable habitat (sometimes very sometimes on derelict urban areas likely in sand or chalk
Entirely black adders sometimes occur. small areas). Largely absent or rare and railway banks. Prefers sandy areas in Dorset, Cornwall,
Normally seen basking in sunny spots. in the North-west and the Midlands. or chalky soils; rare on clay soils. Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex.
Smooth Background: grey or brown. Dark 55 cm Highly restricted. Mostly in Dorset, Predominantly on heathland. Very rare – only close to
snake blotches on back, normally in pairs. (2 ft) some populations in Hampshire and May also occur on adjacent heathland sites in Dorset,
Dark blotch on head. Secretive, Surrey. grassland, derelict urban areas, Hampshire, Surrey.
normally found underneath objects. railway banks.
Escaped pet Various. Various. Can be anywhere close to population Normally in urban or suburban areas. Snakes: occasional.
(various species) centres. Lizards: rare.
Lowland heathland is home to all our reptile species, but huge areas have been lost, fragmented or neglected. Sand lizards and
smooth snakes have suffered most from this loss, and conservation programmes now restore key areas and in some cases
reintroduce reptiles. Jim Foster/English Nature.