adder, adders, common viper, common vipers, vipera berus
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Recognition of British Snakes Because of our climate, we are not well blessed with reptiles, and recognition of snakes involves only four species, the adder, Vipera berus, the grass snake, Natrix natrix, the smooth snake, Coronella austriacum, and the slow-worm, Anguis fragilis, the last being a legless lizard. Apart from general interest, the appearance of a snake in a garden raises the question of whether it is an adder, especially when children or pet animals are present. If you can get a reasonably good look at a reptile, recognition should be straightforward. A glimpse of a few inches of the tail end is much less satisfactory, though with experience is can be enough. The main identifying features are as follows. Ridged scales Top strongly marked in very dark colour with zigzag or blobby patterns Underside very dark Males nearly black on white Female ground colour variable in range brown, olive, yellowish, sandy, orangeish Little or no marking on sides Eye pupils narrow almost vertical slits No eyelids Generally plumper than grass snakes, with relatively short tail Ridged scales Little or no marking on top Many vertical marks on sides Yellow crescent on each side behind head Ground colour variable in range olive greenish, brownish, grey Eye pupils round No eyelids Generally slimmer than adders, with long, gently tapered tail Head wider than body Smooth snake Smooth scales No eyelids Variable markings on top. Colour variable, brownish, greyish, underneath dark. Generally up to about 60 cm long. Head wider than body. Smooth scales. No pattern. Usually bronze colour on top. Eyes very small. With eyelids. Slim. Tail long and tapered, but often truncated and blunt because of previous autotomy (shedding). Head not wider than body. Tight curves of body often circular arcs. |
adder, adders, common viper, common vipers, vipera berus
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The adders’ year |
