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Grass snake

UK Reptile ID

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Written by Paul Arestides, Transforming Lives Trainee

The UK is home to six native species of reptile – three snakes (adder, grass snake and smooth snake) and three lizards (common lizard/ viviparous lizard, sand lizard and slow worm).

In early spring, snakes and lizards will start to emerge from brumation – if you are lucky you may see one or more in your garden or when out walking in the countryside.

All three species of snake in the UK reproduce by laying eggs. The adder and smooth snake incubate eggs internally and then ‘give birth’ to live young. The grass snake lays eggs externally in rotting vegetation, for example, compost heaps.

Take a look below for some more fascinating facts about the UK’s native reptiles. 

 

Grass snake (Natrix helvetica)

Size: 90-150cm in length (females tend to be the longest)

Colour: Usually greenish in colour, with a yellow and black collar, pale belly and dark markings down the sides.

Habitat: Favours wetland habitats but can also be found in grassland and gardens, especially those with a pond!

Interesting fact: The grass snake is the longest snake found in the UK.

 

Adder (Vipera berus)

Size: 60-80cm in length. Very stocky. 

Colour: Grey (males)/ brown (females) with a dark and very distinctive zig-zag pattern down its back. Red eyes.

Habitat: Prefers woodland, heathland and moorland but may also be found in grassland or on the coast.

Interesting fact: The adder is the only venomous snake in the UK. However, bites are exceptionally rare as adders are reclusive and would prefer to retreat than confront a human. The last recorded death from an adder bite in the UK was in 1975. 

 

Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca)

Size: 50-70cm in length.

Colour: Usually dark grey or brown in colour. Similar to an adder but with a more slender body and without the zig-zag pattern along its back.

Habitat: Very rare. Mainly found on a few sandy heaths in Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey, although a couple of reintroduced populations exist in West Sussex and Devon.

Interesting fact: The smooth snake is a constrictor, coiling around its prey to subdue it and crush it to death

 

Most lizards have four legs and run with a side-to-side motion. However, some, such as the slow worm, are legless. Lizards are mainly carnivorous and often employ a ‘sit-and-wait’ approach to catching prey. In the UK, lizards feed primarily on insects, molluscs and spiders.

 

Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis)

Size: Up to 20cm.

Colour: Female sand lizards are a sandy-brown colour, with rows of dark blotches along the back. Males have green flanks that are at their brightest during the breeding season, making them easy to spot.

Habitat: The sand lizard is very rare and can only be found on a few sandy heaths in Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey with a few reintroduced populations in the south east, south west and Wales.

Interesting fact: Sand lizards dig burrows for overnight refuge and hibernation. 

 

Slow worm (Anguis fragilis)

Size: 40-50cm.

Colour: Smooth, golden-grey skin. The males are paler in colour and occasionally have blue spots. The females tend to be larger with dark sides and some have a dark line down their back.

Habitat: Slow worms live in most of Great Britain apart from Northern Ireland and are also present on most of the islands in Scotland and the Channel Isles.

Interesting fact: Although similar in appearance to a snake, the slow worm has eyelids (which snakes do not) and can drop its tail when threatened by a predator.

 

Viviparous/ common lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

Size: 10-15cm in length.

Colour: Variable, but most commonly a brownish-grey, with rows of darker spots or stripes down the back and sides. Males have bright yellow or orange undersides with spots, while females have paler, plain bellies.

Habitat: Heathland, moorland and grassland.

Interesting fact: If threatened by a predator, the common lizard will shed its tail which continues to move – the lizard uses this distraction to make its escape. Although able to regrow its tail, the new one is usually shorter than the original. 

 

Help us by becoming a citizen scientist! Reptiles are widely under-reported and we want your records to see how well reptiles are faring in the UK. Download our free Dragon Finder App to get started. 

What our animals are doing this month…

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Written by Emma Byrne, Transforming Lives Trainee

March is an important month for the UK’s amphibian and reptile species. The general temperature is gradually warming, and as such, many of these species are coming out of hibernation ready to breed, feed, and explore their habitats.

Amphibians:

Frogs, toads, and newts are on the move!

Common frogs and toads migrate in large numbers towards their breeding ponds, with many crossing roads in the process making projects such as Toads on Roads necessary. Male frogs can be heard croaking to attract mates, whilst spawn begins to appear in ponds. Smooth and great crested newts are also heading to the water where they perform spectacular courtship displays!

Reptiles:

The only venomous British snake, the adder, emerges from hibernation as days lengthen. Males have been observed lying out in the sun, a behaviour that allows them to build up energy before shedding skin prior to breeding season. Other reptiles, such as grass snakes and slow worms, also awaken but bide their time waiting for even warmer weather to descend.

March is the perfect month to get outside and begin looking for amphibians and reptiles in the wild! If you happen to see any, please register your sighting on our free Froglife Dragon Finder App. 

Year of the snake

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Written by Emma Byrne, Transforming Lives Trainee

2025 is the Year of the Snake according to the Chinese Zodiac. In light of this, let’s look at the three native snake species in the UK.

Adder – The UK’s Only Venomous Snake

The adder is the only venomous snake in the UK. This small, stocky species thrives in woodland, heathland, and moorland habitats. Females incubate their eggs and can give birth to as many as twenty live young! Adders hibernate starting in October and emerge in March to bask in the sun. Adders are easily recognized by their distinctive dark zig-zag pattern and red eyes. Males are more silvery-grey, while females are often lighter or reddish-brown. Although venomous, they are shy and prefer to avoid humans.

Grass Snake – Britain’s Longest Snake

Grass snakes can grow over a meter, making them the longest snake in the UK. They are typically grey or green and feature a yellow and black collar around their neck. As the only egg-laying snake in the UK, they can lay up to forty eggs in sheltered spots such as compost heaps. Grass snakes are commonly found in England and Wales, especially near garden ponds, where they feed on amphibians and fish.

Credit: Phil Parker

Smooth Snake – A Rare Species

The smooth snake is rare, found only in a few sandy heathland areas in Dorset, Hampshire, and Surrey. This protected species is part of reintroduction programmes, aimed at preventing its extinction in Britain. Smooth snakes are ectothermic, basking in the sun and hibernating from October to April. Males compete for females, who give birth to between four and fifteen live young in September.

Credit- Daniel Moles

Throughout 2024, grass snakes have been spotted at our Boardwalks and Hampton reserves! If you visit one of our public reserves, keep an eye out this spring as they emerge from hibernation to bask in the sun!

Remember to report your sightings on our free Dragon Finder app. 

What our animals are doing this month

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Written by Eve Goddard, Transforming Lives Trainee

Gills in, venture out!

Credit: Gareth Ward

As August hits, our newt larvae, which have been aquatic until now, absorb their gills and head out onto land to begin the next stage of life as an eft or ‘newtlet’.

Their diet will change from chydorids, daphniids and cyclopoid copepods (that’s water fleas and tiny crustaceans to you and me!) to terrestrial invertebrates such as worms and slugs.

They will take shelter under warm, damp logs, stones and paving slabs.

The weather will play a big part in their success at this stage. If it has been too hot and seasonal ponds have dried early, larvae may not have developed enough to leave the ponds and will perish.

However, the annual drying of seasonal ponds provides an advantage for our newt friends long term, as whilst adults can remain on land, aquatic predators such as fish will be predated and ducks will move on. 

 

Hop into Summer!

August falls into the period when froglets and toadlets will absorb their tails and leave the pond for the first time to reach dry land. They will often leave en masse as there’s safety in numbers!

The young will be around 1cm long and will shelter around ponds and damp areas trying to keep cool in the summer heat.  Being largely nocturnal, they will be active at night and avoid daytime temperatures. They feed on small flies, insects and worms.

 

Reptile Egg-stravaganza!

August is the time when UK reptiles begin to be born. 

Grass snakes begin to hatch from their eggs. The eggs will have been laid in rotting vegetation where neonates (hatchlings) can keep warm before they are ready to explore. Neonates are adept swimmers and will feed on small fish and amphibians.

Common lizards incubate their eggs internally (known as ‘ovoviviparity’) and will now give birth to up to 11 young. The young can be predated by birds and domestic cats. Their secret defence is shedding their still-moving tail in the case of an attack.

Juvenile common lizards love the August sunshine and will be found in open dry, sunny spaces with dense cover nearby.

Credit: Josefine Stenudd

What our animals are doing this month

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Written by Charles Bonnett, Transforming Lives Trainee

Summer is Coming!

Summer is arriving! As June has the greatest number of daylight hours during the year and is often one of the warmer months, this can be an enticing time for reptiles.

Reptiles are ectothermic (cold-blooded), and so they rely primarily on external sources of heat to regulate and maintain their body temperatures. Rocks and stones absorb heat from the sun, on which reptiles can bask to control their body temperature. Rotting vegetation is also an attractive proposition, as the associated decomposition process produces much-desired heat as a by-product. Prolific vegetation growth accompanying early summer attracts a wealth of insects and small mammals, and hence prospective prey. June, therefore, represents a potentially fruitful period for our reptiles.

Some reptiles have also begun laying their eggs or incubating their young internally during this period,

supported by the summer’s warmth. Reptiles employ one of three primary modes of reproduction: Oviparity, viviparity, and ovoviviparity. Oviparous reptiles, such as grass snakes and sand lizards, lay eggs containing all the necessary nutrients for embryo development. Viviparous reptiles, represented in the UK by common lizards, incubate embryos internally within their bodies; these embryos derive nutrients and oxygen from the parent. Ovoviviparity combines characteristics of both, where embryos develop in eggs that are incubated within the body of the parent until they hatch internally, after which a live juvenile is born. Slow worms, adders and smooth snakes are all ovoviviparous.

Grass Snake eggs (Josefine Stenudd)

As you bask in the summer sun, you may also catch a glimpse of a reptile! Don’t forget to record any sightings on our free Dragon Finder App!

The Mythology of Grass Snakes

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Written by Chloe Davey, Transforming Lives Trainee

Grass snakes are a common non-venomous snake that can be found living across England and Wales. Adults can grow up to a whopping 150 cm in length, that’s longer than any other native snake species in the UK! Despite their name, they are often found near water and are excellent swimmers. They can also be found in gardens with ponds or compost heaps. They will feed on amphibians, small mammals, fish and even birds. However, there is more to a grass snake than meets the eye! Today I will be sharing some interesting myths and beliefs surrounding this fascinating reptile.

In Baltic, Lithuanian and Latvian mythology, grass snakes are believed to be a household spirit. This sacred animal of the Sun Goddess, Saulė is thought to be a guardian of the home and a symbol of fertility. Grass snakes would be kept as pets and placed in a special area of the home, usually around the hearth or under a married couple’s bed. With them around great fortune would follow, such as a child, a good harvest or great wealth. However, killing a grass snake would bring the opposite. Common Latvian folk sayings include “who kills a grass snake, kills his happiness” and “when the Saulė sees a dead grass snake, she cries for 9 days”.

In Baltic, Lithuanian and Latvian mythology, grass snakes are believed to be a household spirit. Credit: Barry Kemp

In modern day the belief of grass snakes being a blessing to the household remains strong. Grass snake motifs in Latvia represent a meaning of education and wisdom. Although they no longer live inside of people’s homes, it is tradition that people will leave out bowls of milk near a grass snake’s known residence. This comes from older beliefs that offering milk to a grass snake, sometimes by hand even, would help befriend the snake and earn its blessing.

It’s amazing to learn another culture’s views and beliefs on an animal we both love. Grass snakes are quite elusive, so I’d say you would be rather fortunate to spot them. If you would like to learn more about grass snakes, please check out our website for more information.