life - COUNTRYSIDE & FARMING
Contributed Photo: Female Adder
SNAKES &
ADDERS!
Mention
the
word
snakes, and many people
immediately conjure up
images of a 20ft python
swallowing
small
babies in the Australian
outback.
Luckily the
Island’s habitat doesn’t
appeal to many pythons,
but we are fortunate
enough to have, two of
the three native snakes
found in England. The
Adder and the Grass
snake.
Often mistakenly identified, is the
garden slow worm, which is in fact
a legless lizard.
The grass snake is the largest
native reptile found in Britain,
growing up to 4ft (120cm) long,
44
Contributed Photo: Grass Snake
the female being larger than the
male. They are typically grey-green
in colour but can also be olive or
brownish with an obvious yellow,
orange or white ‘V’ marking and
black collar on their neck.
They prefer damp habitats such
as ponds, river banks, ditches and
marshes, but can also be seen in
hedgerows and meadows. They
feed on tadpoles, frogs and toads
as well as fish and the occasional
mouse or small bird. Most hunting
is done underwater with its victim
being swallowed alive.
Adders are slightly smaller with
males growing to 60cm and females
a little larger at 75cm. Their diet
usually consists of small rodents,
lizards, frogs and newts. They
strike swiftly, injecting a lethal dose
of poison and wait for their prey
to die before swallowing it whole.
The adder is our only poisonous
Island Life - www.isleofwight.net