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What our animals are doing this month… September 2020

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For one of our native species of snake, the adder, September is a key month with changes in behaviour.  Approaching the autumn months, adders will begin returning to their overwintering sites from September with individuals often being site faithful.  Once back towards these sites they will still spend time basking until late October when it is likely overwintering behaviour will begin.

September can be a great month to spot adders as they will be basking in the open for longer periods of time in sunny spells as the season starts to cool.  Our adders are identified by a dark ‘zig-zag’ pattern running down their backs, a red iris with a vertical pupil and usually body lengths of 60 – 80cm.

Overwintering sites, or hibernacula, are often found on sunny, south-facing embankments.  These sheltered spots will offer protection from frosty weather, wet conditions and also from predators.  Old mammal burrows, accessible tree stumps/root systems, tussocks, rockeries and piles of dead wood are good examples of places an adder can call home for the cold winter months.

Adders are known however to bask in some quite cold conditions if it is sunny.  Basking areas will have to be exposed to the sun of course, but adders will prefer areas with long vegetation nearby, usually their own bodies length away in case of passing predators.

September is a great month to spot adders (from a distance) and record your sightings for Froglife!

Why I love Snakes! – A poem

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Adder, smooth or grass snake by name,
Our native snakes are not all the same.

The adder’s stylish zig-zags black

Make a splash along its back.
The smooth snake, who is rare to find

Has smoother scales than the other kinds.

The grass snake is the last of the three,
They love to swim – it’s a sight to see!

Snakes may have a difficult time,
But seeing one is just sublime!

Poem written and shared with us by Bethan Davies 

What our animals are doing this month… May 2020

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This month we will delve into some of our reptile species as May is one month which is key for our snakes.  Both the adder and grass snake usually undertake mating during April / May.

Adder males pick up pheromones in the air from females to locate them.  Where multiple males encounter each other they can become engaged in the ‘Dance of the Adders’ – a wrestling match between individuals to force the loser out of a range.  This doesn’t involve biting and should settle matters without violence.  Larger males are known to fight more often.  In courtship, males flick their tongues over a females back and sides before following her movements.  Females may mate with several males over the course of a season and clutches of young can be from multiple fathers – even from previous seasons on occasion (Stille et al. 1986).

Grass snakes mate soon after emerging from the winter.  Mating balls can form where anywhere up to eight males and one or two females can be entangled for up to two hours.  The largest females are often sought after and the largest males have more success in these wrestling encounters.

Froglife’s new app – the Wildlife Pond Visualiser – is a great way to benefit species that use ponds such as grass snakes.  See here for more – https://bit.ly/2VfkuHU

What our animals are doing this month… December 2019

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It’s the final month of the year with activity in our ponds significantly decreased with the cold weather.  However our frogs may still be in the pond over the winter.  Male common frog in particular are known for overwintering at the bottom of ponds within the silt at which time they shut down and absorb oxygen from the water.  If these oxygen levels in the pond become low in freezing temperatures you may see frogs swimming around the pond searching out oxygen supplies.  Native plants in the pond will photosynthesize and produce oxygen, which is very helpful for overwintering frogs, as long as the plants are receiving sunlight.  Carefully clearing snow from a snowed over pond can help this sunlight reach the plants.

Adders are known for being a hardy species in the cold weather and may become active over winter if we have quite mild winter conditions.  There are sightings for every month of the year for adders as they may take advantage of the chance to bask in the sunlight.  This likely impact of climate change however may not be beneficial for the species.  Leaving overwintering sites on milder days can cause the animal to be susceptible to sudden cold snaps in addition to their potential loss of stored energy by being active without the option of foraging for new energy sources.

This frozen pond could be the wintery home for a common frog!  Keeping it clear of snow with plants in the pond will help oxygen levels.