Grass Snake

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Grass Snake 6

Grass Snake playing dead (Jules Howard)

Grass Snake 5

Grass Snake (Jules Howard)

Grass Snake 4

Juvenile Grass Snake with a Slow-Worm (Lin Wenlock)

Grass Snake 3

Grass Snake (Tracy Farrer)  

Grass Snake 2

Grass Snake eggs (Josefine Stenudd)

Grass Snake 1

Grass Snake (Barry Kemp)

Grass Snake (Natrix helvetica)

Grass Snakes are found throughout England and Wales but are absent from Scotland. They’re quite often seen in gardens, especially those with ponds which the snakes can hunt in. Grass Snakes are quite timid, often feigning death if disturbed; alternatively they may excrete a foul-smelling liquid. They are our longest native snake and can reach 150cm.

A year in the life…

Spring

Adults emerge during March/April, with males appearing before females. Mating takes place in April.

Summer

Grass Snakes are the UK’s only egg-laying snake. Eggs are laid in June/July in rotting vegetation (including garden compost heaps), which acts as an incubator. The eggs hatch in late summer – the pencil-sized juveniles (around 15cm long) look exactly like miniature versions of the adults.

Autumn

The rest of the year is spent preparing for winter; Grass Snakes primarily hunt for amphibians or fish in ponds, canals and reservoirs (though they do not eat large meals very often).

Winter

The snakes hibernate between November and March.

In 2017, grass snakes found in Britain and western Europe were reclassified as a new species (Natrix helvetica) to separate them from those in central and eastern Europe (Natrix natrix). Find more info here. 

Studies and Actions from Conservation Evidence

The information below is from the Conservation Evidence website.

Studies and Actions from Conservation Evidence in detail