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Garden slow worms

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Suzi View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2017 at 6:22pm
Gemma, sorry for the very late reply. I didn't see your post.
I don't think tunnels would be very obvious in our composters (unless rat ones) as the contents are pretty loose in arrangement. The funny thing also is (and perhaps another factor in no slow worm tunnels) the slow worms tend to frequent the base of the daleks not the surface. We have four daleks and rarely see a slow worm on the surface. This is in contrast to a friend who can guarantee to show them off in her garden by removing a composter lid with a flourish! 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2017 at 6:26pm
Don't know if anyone is interested in seeing my slow worms in a sort of late season round up. Today was ideal for photographing them as it was dull and not hot. 
Sorry posted one site twice (not exact image though) and can't delete the image. You get the idea...lots!












Edited by Suzi - 30 Sep 2017 at 6:32pm
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Tom Omlette View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tom Omlette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2017 at 8:41pm
Always interested in seeing your slowies suz. in fact love seeing them. like finding a hoard of copper bronze and gold treasure!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2017 at 9:45pm
Thanks Tim. I try not to take them for granted.
Sadly not seen any grassies this time, but intriguingly thought we saw a lizard about ten days ago! We are about three hundred yards from open countryside but the corridor would be a stream/bankings or road/hedges/gardens. It seems unlikely but...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tom Omlette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2017 at 10:26pm
where is the closest confirmed viv lizard site to you

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Suzi View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Oct 2017 at 9:10am
Well there are lizards dotted about in the countryside all around here. Can't be exact as I've not looked but I would think maybe a quarter of a mile maybe less.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Oct 2017 at 8:33pm
Another vote for always pleased to see the produce of your slow worm farm Suz Wink

Our lizard population spawned from a single sighting. Really did not expect to see a lizard, but there it was where I had cleared space for the compost heap. Built the log piles and very soon they were colonized. I later surveyed the adjoining field margin and hedgerow, lots of them! So locally they seem pretty abundant, though there are places were they are noticeably absent too. I think a mix of hedgerow and horse pasture is a big factor in the lizard's favour in our mostly arable landscape here, just luck we have that near the garden.

PS we don't see much 'on top' with the heap either. I was really surprised to see the hatchling grass snake on the top the other day. So I think we might have mostly 'bottom' dwellers also. Still have those tunnels though and way too small for a mammal I think. I guess I'll just have to wait to I see a slow worm with its head poking out of one to be sure!


Edited by GemmaJF - 02 Oct 2017 at 8:38pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote chubsta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2017 at 7:17pm
Is there likely to be a 'critical mass' for the slow worms? There does seem a lot in one go so will they just keep increasing in number or is it more likely that numbers will stay stable and the extra ones disperse?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzi Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2017 at 11:45pm
I don't know Chubsta! They can roam off into other gardens. The gardens here are large. One thing this year, it seems to me there are not as many adults as other years. There seem to be more sub adults though. Without a proper study/survey though it is impossible to know for sure.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2017 at 8:29pm
Ah critical slow worm mass! The ecological term is carrying capacity. So roughly there is a limit to the size a population can grow, based on food, habitat, water and any other necessity from the environment (according to Wikipedia). 

As slow worms seem happy in groups and only rarely drink, one can guess the only significant limit is food. In a cool compost heap one can imagine a huge supply of worms, slugs and other inverts for slow worms. So in Suz's situation carrying capacity of the habitat could be very high indeed. 

I think it would be fair to expect some individuals will disperse away into surrounding gardens and habitat.
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