Durham Biodiversity Partnership : MAGical Meadows

Snake & Slow worm identification

Two adders duelling - Tony Phelps - Reptile Research & Imagery

Grass snake eggs - Tony Phelps - Reptile Research & Imagery

Pictures in this column copyright of Tony Phelps - Reptile Research & Imagery. Other snake and slow worm pictures on this site are the copyright of various photographers. Thanks to them and RAUK who sought permissions on our behalf.

Hover over image for title and acknowledgement.

More pictures and identification help is available on the RAUK website.

What have I seen?

There are only two snake species you are likely to encounter in the Durham area - the Adder in the west of County Durham, and the Grass Snake which prefers to be near water. In addition there is the Slow worm - not a snake but a legless lizard. Slow worms might be found throughout the Durham area, but information is currently sparse.

How can I be sure?

The following descriptions and photographs should help you identify your reptile. If you are still not sure, you can say so on the survey form and just answer some questions about the distinguishing features.

Comparisons

Typical Adult Size	Grass Snake	Adder	Slow Worm
Overall appearance	Our largest snake - long and slender	More thickset than a grass snake - with distinct dorsal markings	Small, more uniformly coloured and glassy in appearance
Distinctive markings	Black and cream/yellow crescent-shaped collar	V or X mark on head and distinct dark 'zigzag' along back	Very few markings - glassy. Females and young have thin dark line along back.
Eggs/Young	Only grass snakes lay eggs - often choosing compost heaps or manure	No eggs - live young in late summer - 15-20cm long.	No eggs - young emerge from egg sacks soon after birth in September

Grass Snake:
Description
Dorsal surface and flanks olive green with distinct dark and vertical bars
Ventral surface white/cream with black chequers. (some almost entirely black).

May appear very dark before skin shedding.
Some colour variation occurs.

Grass snakes have a crescent shaped black collar and round pupils

Where you might see them
Rough land and pastures, sometimes allotments and gardens, usually close to standing water. Feeds almost entirely on amphibians and small fish.

Adder:
Description
Background colour very variable from whitish/grey to brown, with ventral surface (sides) usually black. They have a distinct zig zag on their dorsal surface (back).
The often look larger than they are!

Where you might see them
Almost exclusively in the west of County Durham on heathland

Slow Worms:

Description
Males and females very different in colour when full grown
Females often have a dark vertebral stripe with dark brown stripes or flecks on the flanks

Males are usually more uniform in colour - sometimes they have distinct blue spots
Upper parts of the body vary from light brown or grey to brick red.

Where you might see them

Bask in early morning - young produced early September - 4-5 months to develop. The young are pale goldenbrown-silver above, side and belly pitch black - dark stripe on back - 7-10 cm long when born.