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Grass Snake Identification & Sightings

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    Posted: 18 Feb 2003 at 2:38pm

A description and images of the Grass Snake Natrix helvetica may be found at:

 

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/grass_snake.htm

 

� Alan Hyde


 Please note that this post has been updated to reflect the re-classification of the British and western European Grass Snake. Until recently, the UK Grass snake was classified as Natrix natrix helvetica. But, with genetic sequencing based on mitochondrial and nuclear microsatellite DNA described in a recent paper by Kindler et al., (2017) the British animal (in fact, basically the western European) has been elevated to full species status and our sub-species is now Natrix helvetica helvetica. The relevant paper can be found by clicking here.

 

 



Edited by Iowarth - 25 Aug 2020 at 3:28pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote INFORMATION Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Apr 2003 at 8:21am

Grass Snake Distribution

Date Species Location Stage Notes Sex Sighting Submitted by
22/03/03 Grass Snake Hartland Moor
Female and Small Male Mating
T. Phelps
27/03/03 Grass Snake Matchams


T. Phelps
28/03/03 Grass Snake Hartland Moor
Female and Four Males in mating ball
T. Phelps
31/03/03 Grass Snake Purbeck Adult 2 Males 1 Female mating
T. Phelps

Please add your Grass Snake sightings below so they may be added to the above table and the RAUK distribution map.

If you are unsure of the forum policies regarding accuracy of site descriptions and sighting reports please review them before posting.

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/Forum%20policies.htm

 



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Wolfgang Wuster View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wolfgang Wuster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Apr 2003 at 10:48am
April 20th, north of Newbury - 1 male, 1 specimen of unknown sex. Photo is of the male.



Cheers,
Wolfgang
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alan Hyde Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Apr 2003 at 5:05pm

Hi Wolfgang , great pic as always.

One question though , well two actually ... how do you sex natrix in the field? Also , you said you borrowed a dig camera for the pics , do you know wht make it was?

 

Cheers.

Alan

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wolfgang Wuster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Apr 2003 at 4:01pm
Camera: Canon EOS DX30 - an SLR. Very expesnive, but slightly dated.

Sexing: in this case, I just looked at the tailbase, which was clearly swollen - this indicates a male in most species, but I am more than willing to be corrected if someone here knows better in the case of N. natrix.

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Wolfgang
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote -LAF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr 2003 at 8:54am

Wow, never found any of these on the Island. Lots of Adders but never Natrix. I'd heard they occured on one of the RSPB sites there but the only place I ever saw one in N. Wales was on the Llyn peninsula. Arnold's Atlas shows a few sites on Anglesey but, like I said, they always provided me a no-show. Do you know what their status is like on the island? Are they doing as well as the Adders are there?

Cheers, Lee.

Lee Fairclough
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wolfgang Wuster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr 2003 at 9:29am
Lee,

This was Newbury, Berkshire, not Newborough, Anglesey ;-)

I have never seen any at all anywhere in N. Wales and certainly not on Anglesey. Apparently, some years back, one used to frequent the disused pond beind the Brambell Bldg. in bangor, though. I have heard that they are reasonably common around Porthmadog, though.

I have to say that I am more than a little skeptical about the various Biological Recording Schemes - too many people tend to confuse things, and the recording bodies themselves screw up as well. I remember sending records of slow worms and common lizards to one county recorder, and when I later went to see some more of his records, I found that the information for the two species had been transposed. Moreover, the supposed adder localities in the county that I checked out all yielded grass snakes (and generally looked likeperfect grass snake habitat), but no adders.

Go figure...

Cheers,

Wolfgang

Cheers,

Wolfgang
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote -LAF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Apr 2003 at 7:43pm

Ooops!, In hindsight I seem to remember something about a Newbury that had a by-pass built neer it on the news now. My brain obviously doesn't function too well at 9am.
Grass snake in Bangor wouldn't totally surprise me. Slow worm and common lizard both do well there and local kids all seem to have seen grass snake in the same places behind Bangor mountain (one description was perfect - "they're green and their s**t stinks to **** yeah"). After checking them out they did look likely spots.  The one I saw was crossing a road nr Nefyn (was in a car full of shapees who wouldn't have appreciated stopping to take a closer look - and we were after a pub...) The woods around Llanderfel (nr Wrecsam) are apparently a good place too. Anyway, I'm gonna go off and brush up on my geography!

Cheers, Lee.

Lee Fairclough
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jun 2003 at 10:16am
Harry, I moved your post to "unwanted grass snakes"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote penbox Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jul 2003 at 7:35pm
Originally posted by Tony Phelps Tony Phelps wrote:

April 12

Mendips  -  Grass snakes mating - 2 males + female other males nearby

April 15 Chobham Very warm and sunny

2 nice size females, one basking on side of path est 85cm

other moving casually across parh in shade nicely marked est 80cm

also another male I think (ask Gareth M. he was with me)

Frensham stil very warm biggie female moving slowly across path 127cm

very aggressive - got sprayed - don't really mind the smell, get used to it I suppose. The wife thinks differently, had to eat dinner in garden with the dog.

April 16 2 nice size males, 70cm & 75cm at a rescue site in Hampshire Nr Fleet.

Tony

 

paul D.
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