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Early young in 2009 |
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Chris Monk 
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Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 282 |
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 Topic: Early young in 2009Posted: 10 Jul 2009 at 10:45pm |
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Like last year (see Robert's topic in this section "1st neo of 2008"), there seem to be newly hatched grass snakes out already. Natalie Walker reported coming across a neonate yesterday (9th) alongside the M1 on the Derbyshire /Yorkshire border. Several others last year reported very small grass snake hatchlings in the first week of July 2008. Anyone else seen them this year ? Edited by Chris Monk |
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Derbyshire Amphibian & Reptile Group www.derbyshirearg.co.uk |
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-LAF
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Posted: 11 Jul 2009 at 12:35am |
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This seems unfathomably early for this years hatchlings,
I've only recently found post natal females (early June) down in the Cotswolds. No neo common lizards yet (although I expect them in the next week or two down here). I'd put good money on any apparent hatchlings being last years. |
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Lee Fairclough
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will
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Posted: 11 Jul 2009 at 9:29am |
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I'd agree; most females yet to lay in London area; here's a 'baby' from two days ago which is presumably a late hatcher from last autumn
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dave fixx
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Posted: 11 Jul 2009 at 2:23pm |
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I came accross a baby grass snake in June which I could have sworn was from this year but couldnt have been as they were only laying then.
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Dave Williams
davewilliamsphotography.co.uk |
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Chris Monk
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Posted: 12 Jul 2009 at 12:11pm |
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I've not seen the animal but John Newton had told Natalie that he had seen very early mating behaviour in grass snakes in Yorkshire this year.
In last year's thread on the forum these small ones don't seem to be seen any earlier than July, whereas very small adders born the previous year can be found early in the year. |
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Derbyshire Amphibian & Reptile Group www.derbyshirearg.co.uk |
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Paul Ford
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Posted: 13 Jul 2009 at 6:03pm |
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What about the females who mate in September/October? Presumably they must lay their eggs quite early in the year? Paul
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will
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Posted: 13 Jul 2009 at 6:47pm |
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Hi Paul
Is it proven that eggs can be fertilised in autumn and remain viable over winter ? I don't know myself. Also do we know how common autumn matings are ? Cheers Will |
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Paul Ford
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Posted: 13 Jul 2009 at 7:38pm |
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Hi Will, I have absolutely no idea! I would like to think though that hibernation just slows everything down so fertilised eggs could remain viable!? (and if they are found not to be viable would this mean that grass snakes indulge in recreational sex Actually, I have wondered whether the autumn matings are triggered simply by the conditions being the same (ie warm sunshine, fairly cool air temps etc - probably a more realistic scenario methinks!) On the Mendips autumn matings seems quite common. Paul
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-LAF
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Posted: 14 Jul 2009 at 1:55am |
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What about this... if you can get hatchling grassies in
July in Derbys, then why not in September in Scotland? I'm still trying to track down mating to egg-laying stats for UK grassies, but hatching times for the eggs are 40-42 days under ideal conditions in the UK. Purportedly, it can be 35 days in Italy, but the window for fattening up outside of the egg is larger there, as is the maximum recorded brood number (vis-a-vis, smaller eggs equals smaller hatchlings with more time to feed and smaller eggs facilitate higher brood numbers). Edited by -LAF |
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Lee Fairclough
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Robert V
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Posted: 23 Jul 2009 at 9:12pm |
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Lee, who said 40 odd days? I've had three clutches under perfect conditions, 63-66 days. Rob |
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RobV
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will wrote:
)