The grass snake is the only UK snake to lay eggs rather than give birth to live young. They lay their eggs in June and July, ideally in rotting vegetation which provides a warm and safe place for the eggs to be incubated. Compost heaps are a perfect egg-laying spot, so keep an eye out for grass snakes using compost heaps in your garden or allotment. Since they are such a popular spot for grass snakes, it is also important that we minimise any disturbance to our compost heaps at this time of year to avoid harming any eggs.
Grass snakes are the largest of our native snakes, reaching up to 1.5m in length, and can be easily identified by their distinctive yellow and black collar. Once the eggs hatch in late summer, the tiny juveniles look exactly same as the adults, except they are just 15cm long. They can be found throughout England and Wales, but are more limited in Scotland where they are only found in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.
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