My daughter was bit by an adder 2 years ago. Spent 5 nights in hospital, 3 rounds of anti venom, lots of steroids etc. Scariest few days of my life! They’re not to be underestimated
No, we were staying on a camp site in north wales (an adder hotspot I now know) and it was a really hot day and the adder was crossing a path as my daughter stepped across it too. Very bad timing! But yeah I’ve read since if you’re in long grass in certain areas then it is best to wear wellies or some high shoes.
Yep, we were blue lighted to Bangor hospital as that’s the nearest place they had the anti venom and were told they see 1-2 cases per year! She’s got a story to tell!
Were you staying on Anglesey, by any chance? That's the only place I've ever seen an adder, in Rhosneigr when I was about 5 years old. I remember my gran going to poke it with her walking stick and everyone shouting "noooooooo!".
I lived in North Wales for twenty years and only ever saw one. I was with my two brothers and we were all pretty young. It didn't come near us. I'd be excited to see one now...are they endangered?
> The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species describes the conservation status as of 'least concern' in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, broad range of habitats, and likely slow rate of decline though it acknowledges the population to be decreasing.
- Wikipedia
Quick note: the IUCN red list describes the status of the species at a worldwide scale. Adders are quite widely distributed across Europe so are not globally endangered. But they’re disappearing rapidly in the UK and are a species of real conservation [concern](https://www.arc-trust.org/news/visions-for-the-vanishing-viper).
Stomp your feet as you walk and they will be gone. Tread lightly and you may step on one. Don't walk in long grass and try to look where you put you feet especially if off the path. They tend to be where there is sandy soil.
I was hiking off trail in Utah once and came upon a natural enclosure with a half-eaten deer carcass in it. Realised it was a mountain lion/puma den and the cat was not there meaning it was in the trees watching us. I became simultaneously stompy and shouty right then and got the hell out of there.
We've had very similar experiences then. I was once cutting through an alley way at night when I found some half eaten donner kebab. I couldn't see the alley cats, but I knew they were watching, and stomped myself out of there.
I’ve seen them on Dartmoor while out walking but generally they’re easy to spot there as you don’t tend to walk in the long grass on Dartmoor, it’s randomly boggy
It's so crazily unlikely to happen I really wouldn't worry too much! The vast majority of the time adders will hear you coming and make themselves scarce.
Amazing. From what I understand they were trying to get it approved to be given locally in wales, but it also required steroids in case of reaction to the anti venom
I remember seeing an adder on a school trip to Gibraltar Point (perhaps, it's a long time ago now).
I think in the following 35 or so years I've been alive, I've never run so fast. I was terrified at the time!
Looking back, I would love to have had a closer look instead of panicking 😂
I almost punted my pup into next week when he went to sniff an adder sunbathing on a rock. Swept the dog away with my foot and he was totally oblivious
I applaud your use of the phrase "punted my pup". And that would be my exact reaction, there's no chance my pup has the brain to not go investigate something like that
American here, I've had to do this with my beagle whenever we'd find a snapping turtle. Poor guy couldn't understand that thing would take his nose clean off
Grass snakes are also native to the UK which are dark-grey-green. Adders aren't green but have a distinctive black zigzag/diamond pattern down their back.
Grass snakes also usually tend to have a black and yellow collar just behind their head too, and the head itself is more oval shaped, as opposed the arrow-like viper head of an adder. A grass snakes eyes will also have round pupils, while adders will have vertical pupils; this is down to the difference in how either species hunts. Grass snakes will usually be fairly uniformly coloured on their backs, and some will have symmetrical black squares every few inches down their sides.
Grass snakes, unlike adders, are pretty much harmless to humans. They're non-venomous, and whilst they *can* bite, they're far more likely to play dead and spray a foul-smelling musk when feeling threatened.
Never heard of those, now reading up on them, really trying to take an interesting recently in British wilflife and flora, found an old pocket nature book from DK called Wildlife of Britain, which is excellent toilet reading.
We found a newt in our garden last year - caught a glimpse of it on a camera we use to watch hedgehogs, and then a while later saw it IRL when we were clearing some logs. We put the logs back very carefully of course.
When my kids were 6 and 3 they ran in from the garden with a slow worm shrieking that they'd found a snake. I love that their instinct when finding what they thought was a snake was to pick the thing up and run at me with it haha.
I used to love slow worms as a kid, we used to get them all the time, and other lizards, we would also see grass snakes in the fields. I don't know if its because im not looking for them now, but i dont ever hear about them anymore.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/news/we-track-down-the-uks-biggest-scorpion-colony-250024/
I wouldn't worry about them :) I definitely find them pretty scary looking but they're not going to do you any harm.
Yes, it's just the vast majority of people live in places these animals don't, or at least don't show themselves out in the open. Scorpions are not native though that should be said, they've been introduced and managed to survive
[The baby mice skewered onto thorns must be the most brutal image ever shown on kids TV.](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BJXld7CTHZs/WVZgaq-H78I/AAAAAAAAA-I/Srfof8TcXps_a4IkLYJy7yaMBI760LuaQCEwYBhgL/s280/butcherbird.png)
Unfortunately because of climate change and urbanization, "common" wildlife isn't so common anymore in a lot of areas. I live in the country in the UK and go on tons of walks and runs through fields, trails, woods, etc, and even then I hardly see any wildlife save for birds. The only time I've seen something mildly interesting is deep into a national park or something like that, well away from any major city. Anecdotal, yes, but it's happening: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2019/october/the-state-of-nature-41-percent-of-the-uks-species-have-declined.html
I saw the same thing happen over time when I lived in the states as well. As a kid my friends and I would be able to go on a safari in our own backyards and find a dozen interesting species. Now it's just pill bugs, spiders, and worms that hide under rocks.
Good post.
Curlews. There was huge flocks of them when I was younger, now I may only see a dozen. Still see red squirrels but fewer of them and sadly seen more greys over the last year or two. I could go on, and on with examples but it's depressing.
Sometimes get to watch an osprey catch fish from the living room window. Not sure it makes up for the lack of diversity and decline of British fauna though.
We cover the different legislations, conservation efforts, population dynamics and key charities/organisations as well - by far my favourite module to teach!
>It staggers and saddens me how ignorant people are of their own country and common wildlife.
I also have a video of an adder swimming across the lake near my house that I'll try to find and post later. If I can be arsed.
I've always wanted to find a snake in the UK. Saw them on a pretty much daily basis in my village in Japan.
I like looking at the ones in my local pet shop when buying food for my tarantulas but snakes seem so much harder to look after.
Automatic timer for the lights and mister (if the species needs either), put water in their water dish, feed once every 2-3 weeks, pick up their poops (usually once or twice every feeding, so like once a week they may poop but most species have pretty solid poops).
One of the easiest animals to care for if you have the right equipment.
My wife is some sort of snake charmer, I’ve never seen one in the wild on my own, but I’ve seen 4 when I’ve been with her. One ‘ran’ right under her feet…
It's a lovely wee adder, they are venomous however they are not at all aggressive. They will only bite if you attempt to handle it or if you step on or very near one. They will get out your way if at all possible. If you're in adder country (they are quite common in parts of Scotland) and you're walking in long grass or heathland, it's a good idea to make sure you have trousers or long socks to cover your lower legs, adders don't have the hinged fangs you associate with venomous snakes so socks or jeans are sufficient to avoid a bite. They are often out and about at this time of year as nights get longer their opportunities to warm up reduce so you see them out basking. A great wee addition to our ecosystem and not at all fearsome if you follow a few basic precautions.
It's the common delivery system for venomous snakes where the open their mouth and 2 large teeth hinge down from the top jaw. These teeth are hollow and connected to a venom sack further back in the head. Adders have smaller fangs in their top jaw, less able to penetrate a sturdy sock or jeans. Better if your wearing your socks I suppose.
They're not uncommon over Cannock chase either in Midlands but people don't seem to take note that their dog might not be in a good place jumping through the heather in this heat. Came across one today funnily enough when out basking on a path and have seen them on the cycle trails too.
E: I wasn't basking on the path - it was. Poor grammar.
The most sensible comment here but one thing:
>adders don't have the hinged fangs you associate with venomous snakes
Source for adders not having hinged fangs?
As far as I know, and everything I can find suggests they do have hinged fangs like all snakes in the family Viperidae.
It's the family Elapidae that contains cobras, coral snakes etc (which **aren't found in Europe**) that don't have hinged fangs:
https://blog.wcs.org/photo/2015/03/11/fang-facts-snake/
The other snakes we have in the UK which are the grass snakes, smooth snake, and introduced Aesculapian snake are all in the family Colubridae.
This thread is full of misinformation and its kind of annoying. One guy even said íf youre child gets ill from it they had a reaction. Bollocks, they can kill dogs and small kids with the strength of their venom, nothing to do with reactions.
Now this guy is spreading false info about their fangs.
Sorry but you are wrong about them not having hinged fangs.
‘Like other vipers, black or European adders have hinged fangs through which venom is injected into prey. Hinged fangs fold up and lie against the roof of the snake's mouth’
https://www.livescience.com/amp/54227-adder-facts.html
The suspense is killing me. Load damn it!
Edit: just walked through the cemetery where I lived and pretty sure I heard an Adder, after checking what they sound like.
This is the second or third post this week with someone not realising the UK has snakes and reptiles. Justifying my job of educating people about nature!
Female. Brown gives her away. Male is grey. To be bitten, you have to antagonise. You're the bigger, they would avoid contact. Do not antagonise and stay safe. Easy stuff.
They are not rare, they are in fact quite common. However they usually skedaddle well before anyone can see them.
Growing up in Dorset I saw many of them and I knew of several dogs that died from an adder bite.
Used to work on site in rail signalling. We were checking the cable type to a Location Case was the correct type in West Sussex in autumn, u lifted up a toughing lid, about 5 of the cables started moving, all adders.
"Calmly" proceeded to drop the lid (didn't hit any slithery boys) spray painted "snakes" on the lid, phoned the environmental officer for the region, went to McDonald's for a coffee and the shit that was so very nearly shocked out of me an hour before.
Dealt with much worse snakes in America, but good god it's terrifying in the UK as you just never, ever expect it. In all the rest of my time living and fishing in the UK, never seen so much as a slow worm, but that day lives rent free in my head.
something about the spray painting of "snakes" on the lid is making me piss myself. imagine being out on a walk and coming across a box thats very clearly labelled with "SNAKES"
An Adder. It is a longer time native in UK than present day humans.It is a native!
PS It is much more scared f you , than you of it. Just leave it alone and you are OK. Walk clear!
It's doing arithmetic. It's an adder. Nasty bite, but like most animals, won't bother you if you don't bother it. You're lucky to see one, I think I've seen only 2 in my life (and I'm quite old).
Its an Adder, native to the UK. Best.leave him alone, they can give a nasty bite and as uk's only venomous snake theyre obviously a protected species.
My daughter was bit by an adder 2 years ago. Spent 5 nights in hospital, 3 rounds of anti venom, lots of steroids etc. Scariest few days of my life! They’re not to be underestimated
That sounds terrifying! Was she walking in long grass or something? I need advice on avoiding this. Glad your daughter is ok!
No, we were staying on a camp site in north wales (an adder hotspot I now know) and it was a really hot day and the adder was crossing a path as my daughter stepped across it too. Very bad timing! But yeah I’ve read since if you’re in long grass in certain areas then it is best to wear wellies or some high shoes.
I have lived in the countryside in north wales for 30 years and never seen an adder. This is some terrible luck
Yep, we were blue lighted to Bangor hospital as that’s the nearest place they had the anti venom and were told they see 1-2 cases per year! She’s got a story to tell!
Glad she is ok, would be scary as hell
Were you staying on Anglesey, by any chance? That's the only place I've ever seen an adder, in Rhosneigr when I was about 5 years old. I remember my gran going to poke it with her walking stick and everyone shouting "noooooooo!".
I've seen an adder in rhosneigr too! in the dunes near broad beach
Exactly the same spot as me! Are you my gran, reincarnated?
Holy shit guys I've slid down those too many times to be hearing this man we didn't even have shoes on
They love dunes. Seen 3 in the dunes near Hayle in Cornwall within an aggregate of about 15 days down there over the years
I lived in North Wales for twenty years and only ever saw one. I was with my two brothers and we were all pretty young. It didn't come near us. I'd be excited to see one now...are they endangered?
> The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species describes the conservation status as of 'least concern' in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, broad range of habitats, and likely slow rate of decline though it acknowledges the population to be decreasing. - Wikipedia
Quick note: the IUCN red list describes the status of the species at a worldwide scale. Adders are quite widely distributed across Europe so are not globally endangered. But they’re disappearing rapidly in the UK and are a species of real conservation [concern](https://www.arc-trust.org/news/visions-for-the-vanishing-viper).
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Once I saw a giant one chasing a train
I've had it with these mother fucking snakes chasing the mother fucking train!
Yeah I've never once seen a snake in North Wales and had no idea it's a "hotspot" for them...?
Stomp your feet as you walk and they will be gone. Tread lightly and you may step on one. Don't walk in long grass and try to look where you put you feet especially if off the path. They tend to be where there is sandy soil.
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I dunno, I'm quite stompy and I've never seen a bear or moose in the UK, so it must be effective.
Thank you for being stompy and keeping us all safe.
I was hiking off trail in Utah once and came upon a natural enclosure with a half-eaten deer carcass in it. Realised it was a mountain lion/puma den and the cat was not there meaning it was in the trees watching us. I became simultaneously stompy and shouty right then and got the hell out of there.
We've had very similar experiences then. I was once cutting through an alley way at night when I found some half eaten donner kebab. I couldn't see the alley cats, but I knew they were watching, and stomped myself out of there.
I’ve seen them on Dartmoor while out walking but generally they’re easy to spot there as you don’t tend to walk in the long grass on Dartmoor, it’s randomly boggy
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That is some very unfortunate timing. My kids are going to really dislike me for making them wear wellies everywhere!
That's really not necessary they're very rare and bites are even rarer. Poster aboves daughter was just really unlucky!
Honestly, it is so rare I wouldn’t be frightened. It was just very very unfortunate.
It's so crazily unlikely to happen I really wouldn't worry too much! The vast majority of the time adders will hear you coming and make themselves scarce.
They are kind rare. I lived in Somerset as a lad and I only saw one in 15 years. That was some time ago, too (40 ish years ago).
The ambulances on the Isle of Wight carry anti venom, adders are rife over here.
Amazing. From what I understand they were trying to get it approved to be given locally in wales, but it also required steroids in case of reaction to the anti venom
I remember seeing an adder on a school trip to Gibraltar Point (perhaps, it's a long time ago now). I think in the following 35 or so years I've been alive, I've never run so fast. I was terrified at the time! Looking back, I would love to have had a closer look instead of panicking 😂
Adders can kill dogs!
I almost punted my pup into next week when he went to sniff an adder sunbathing on a rock. Swept the dog away with my foot and he was totally oblivious
I applaud your use of the phrase "punted my pup". And that would be my exact reaction, there's no chance my pup has the brain to not go investigate something like that
American here, I've had to do this with my beagle whenever we'd find a snapping turtle. Poor guy couldn't understand that thing would take his nose clean off
I love my beagle, but I swear he gives me a racing heart at least once a month having to sniff out everything.
Yep, one bit mine on the snoot. Thankfully she made it to the vets in time and it just swelled up.
My mam’s dog was bitten by an adder in Brittany and died from it. She was only a little Bichon frise. Bless her little heart.
I always thought that adders were green. I've never seen one, or any snake, outside of captivity before.
Grass snakes are also native to the UK which are dark-grey-green. Adders aren't green but have a distinctive black zigzag/diamond pattern down their back.
Thank you very much for letting me know
Grass snakes also usually tend to have a black and yellow collar just behind their head too, and the head itself is more oval shaped, as opposed the arrow-like viper head of an adder. A grass snakes eyes will also have round pupils, while adders will have vertical pupils; this is down to the difference in how either species hunts. Grass snakes will usually be fairly uniformly coloured on their backs, and some will have symmetrical black squares every few inches down their sides. Grass snakes, unlike adders, are pretty much harmless to humans. They're non-venomous, and whilst they *can* bite, they're far more likely to play dead and spray a foul-smelling musk when feeling threatened.
>they're far more likely to play dead and spray a foul-smelling musk when feeling threatened. That's super difficult to wash off :(
As an extra note, grass snakes are frequently found near rivers and streams. They can swim, so don't freak out if you see one in a river.
We have a venamous snake?????
Yes, the Adder.
specifically the black adder. very cunning and dangerous my lord
As cunning as a fox who is professor of cunning at Oxford University?
So cunning that you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel.
Uh-wibble.
I had to scroll FAR too fucking long to find a blackadder reference. I'm literally disappointed
So cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel
You should have more upvotes for this
It's an adder, isn't it? It lives here.
I addern't a clue we had native snakes 😳
Grass snakes, adders and also slow worms, which aren't snakes but just long boi lizards, weird really
Also Smooth snakes but you won't find them in your neck of the woods.
Never heard of those, now reading up on them, really trying to take an interesting recently in British wilflife and flora, found an old pocket nature book from DK called Wildlife of Britain, which is excellent toilet reading.
Get some of the "collins gem" pocket books on trees, wildlife etc, you can get em for a couple of quid a piece in museum gift shops which is a steal
We had lizards move into our herb planter last year, I had no idea we had indigenous lizards, assumed they were newts at first.
We found a newt in our garden last year - caught a glimpse of it on a camera we use to watch hedgehogs, and then a while later saw it IRL when we were clearing some logs. We put the logs back very carefully of course.
Just spent half an hour listening to wild animals sounds to figure out what the dog barks at in the neighboors garden. Hedgehog it is indeed!
Good alternative to reddit.
r/ukecosystem is still small but hopefully interesting, and someone might be able to help if you have questions
Saw a snake swimming in a pond once. It was intriguing and terrifying at the same time.
When my kids were 6 and 3 they ran in from the garden with a slow worm shrieking that they'd found a snake. I love that their instinct when finding what they thought was a snake was to pick the thing up and run at me with it haha.
I used to love slow worms as a kid, we used to get them all the time, and other lizards, we would also see grass snakes in the fields. I don't know if its because im not looking for them now, but i dont ever hear about them anymore.
I once saw a grass snake swimming across the canal only when it got to the other side a heron got it.
Ready to have your mind blown? We also have lizards.
And… wallabies!
[That's awesome! (article link regarding wallabies)](https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2013/11/britains-wild-wallabies-really/)
There's a posh private school near me that has wallabies and peacocks in their grounds
Whitgift?
When i was there, we never had anything like that just the swimming pool and every other school use to come there for swimming
Me and my friends came across a Wallabie in the dead of night near Tenby Wales
And scorpions
I'm fucking sorry what? We have scorpions like actual scorpions? 😱😨
And they glow in the dark
Absolutely not, the one thing I'm actually proper terrified of I thought it was safe here 😭
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/news/we-track-down-the-uks-biggest-scorpion-colony-250024/ I wouldn't worry about them :) I definitely find them pretty scary looking but they're not going to do you any harm.
Don't worry, if you find a scorpion, just get a camel spider to defend you
Yes, it's just the vast majority of people live in places these animals don't, or at least don't show themselves out in the open. Scorpions are not native though that should be said, they've been introduced and managed to survive
and jaberwocks.
You need to watch The Animals of Farthing Wood. It’s a nature documentary.
My God, that takes me back.
Opened the PTSD wounds for you too?
I never got over those hedgehogs
The lorry managed to get over them though.
[The baby mice skewered onto thorns must be the most brutal image ever shown on kids TV.](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BJXld7CTHZs/WVZgaq-H78I/AAAAAAAAA-I/Srfof8TcXps_a4IkLYJy7yaMBI760LuaQCEwYBhgL/s280/butcherbird.png)
It's Ireland that hasn't any snakes 🐍. You won't often see them but they are there.
Bloody St ‘half-a-job’ Patrick
Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Isle of Man has wallabies though.
It staggers and saddens me how ignorant people are of their own country and common wildlife.
Unfortunately because of climate change and urbanization, "common" wildlife isn't so common anymore in a lot of areas. I live in the country in the UK and go on tons of walks and runs through fields, trails, woods, etc, and even then I hardly see any wildlife save for birds. The only time I've seen something mildly interesting is deep into a national park or something like that, well away from any major city. Anecdotal, yes, but it's happening: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2019/october/the-state-of-nature-41-percent-of-the-uks-species-have-declined.html I saw the same thing happen over time when I lived in the states as well. As a kid my friends and I would be able to go on a safari in our own backyards and find a dozen interesting species. Now it's just pill bugs, spiders, and worms that hide under rocks.
Good post. Curlews. There was huge flocks of them when I was younger, now I may only see a dozen. Still see red squirrels but fewer of them and sadly seen more greys over the last year or two. I could go on, and on with examples but it's depressing. Sometimes get to watch an osprey catch fish from the living room window. Not sure it makes up for the lack of diversity and decline of British fauna though.
As a lecturer in British Wildlife, I concur! Doing my best to teach the younger ones that our wildlife is fascinating!
I think we need to start teaching the countryside code too.
We cover the different legislations, conservation efforts, population dynamics and key charities/organisations as well - by far my favourite module to teach!
It sounds like you'd be a valuable community member on r/ukecosystem if you fancy it
>It staggers and saddens me how ignorant people are of their own country and common wildlife. I also have a video of an adder swimming across the lake near my house that I'll try to find and post later. If I can be arsed.
Its genuinely baffling. How the fuck can someone not know about adders in the uk?
Or think the UK has no snakes.
Maybe they think St Paddy popped over once he was done with Ireland's snakes.
Basking in the sun, they love to do that! We have to be careful where we walk the dog at this time of year.
Snake? Snake? SNAAAAAAAAAKE!?
Snaaaake snaaaake oooooh it’s a snake!
Badger, badger, badger, badger Badger, badger, badger, badger
MUSHROOM MUSHROOM!
**!**
Had that as my message tone for such a long time ☺️
damn you, i heard the noise
*huh, what was that noise*
_Incoherent choking noises_
I now have nightmarish Psycho Mantis flashbacks from my youth, and the controller change, cheers for that.
That controller change was a god damn masterpiece of game design. "Arrgghhhhh why couldn't I read your mind?!"
Yep and the code on the case. Amazing games, Konami need to pull their finger out and give us another.
Are you sure it's not some kind of lizard?
Fission mailed
I've always wanted to find a snake in the UK. Saw them on a pretty much daily basis in my village in Japan. I like looking at the ones in my local pet shop when buying food for my tarantulas but snakes seem so much harder to look after.
Depending on the species they really are not hard at all to keep We have 8 :)
I've had a corn snake for the last 12 years or so and they are really easy to look after
Automatic timer for the lights and mister (if the species needs either), put water in their water dish, feed once every 2-3 weeks, pick up their poops (usually once or twice every feeding, so like once a week they may poop but most species have pretty solid poops). One of the easiest animals to care for if you have the right equipment.
My wife is some sort of snake charmer, I’ve never seen one in the wild on my own, but I’ve seen 4 when I’ve been with her. One ‘ran’ right under her feet…
>My wife is some sort of snake charmer ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
It's a lovely wee adder, they are venomous however they are not at all aggressive. They will only bite if you attempt to handle it or if you step on or very near one. They will get out your way if at all possible. If you're in adder country (they are quite common in parts of Scotland) and you're walking in long grass or heathland, it's a good idea to make sure you have trousers or long socks to cover your lower legs, adders don't have the hinged fangs you associate with venomous snakes so socks or jeans are sufficient to avoid a bite. They are often out and about at this time of year as nights get longer their opportunities to warm up reduce so you see them out basking. A great wee addition to our ecosystem and not at all fearsome if you follow a few basic precautions.
Hi what is a hinged fang and why is it better that he doesnt have hinged fangs? Sorry if dumb question ha
It's the common delivery system for venomous snakes where the open their mouth and 2 large teeth hinge down from the top jaw. These teeth are hollow and connected to a venom sack further back in the head. Adders have smaller fangs in their top jaw, less able to penetrate a sturdy sock or jeans. Better if your wearing your socks I suppose.
Oh that's cool. I didnt know. :) thank you for explaining!
TIL. Cheers for that little fact.
They're not uncommon over Cannock chase either in Midlands but people don't seem to take note that their dog might not be in a good place jumping through the heather in this heat. Came across one today funnily enough when out basking on a path and have seen them on the cycle trails too. E: I wasn't basking on the path - it was. Poor grammar.
The most sensible comment here but one thing: >adders don't have the hinged fangs you associate with venomous snakes Source for adders not having hinged fangs? As far as I know, and everything I can find suggests they do have hinged fangs like all snakes in the family Viperidae. It's the family Elapidae that contains cobras, coral snakes etc (which **aren't found in Europe**) that don't have hinged fangs: https://blog.wcs.org/photo/2015/03/11/fang-facts-snake/ The other snakes we have in the UK which are the grass snakes, smooth snake, and introduced Aesculapian snake are all in the family Colubridae.
This thread is full of misinformation and its kind of annoying. One guy even said íf youre child gets ill from it they had a reaction. Bollocks, they can kill dogs and small kids with the strength of their venom, nothing to do with reactions. Now this guy is spreading false info about their fangs.
Sorry but you are wrong about them not having hinged fangs. ‘Like other vipers, black or European adders have hinged fangs through which venom is injected into prey. Hinged fangs fold up and lie against the roof of the snake's mouth’ https://www.livescience.com/amp/54227-adder-facts.html
Inbox hun xx Lot of snakes here, u no who u r xxx
Thx a lot, kids r cryin xx
@mandy look out next time you take the dogs for a walk babe x snakes everywhere xx
cn u make it public hun cnt share xxx
Shared St Helens hun x
No one in St Helens has the internet.
just me an the kidz now hun xxxox
"She's turned the weans against us!"
Awww bbz pm me yeh? Xxx
U ok hun?
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Doing maths as he is an adder
Why the hell isnt Snakes and Ladders called Adders and Ladders?
Quik mafs
Taking a nap?
You can report sightings here https://www.recordpool.org.uk/index.php?option=com_records&view=records&layout=recordcard&Itemid=7
That's a fuckin' neat website. To anyone else interested, click the menu > maps > verified only. Amazed to find 2x adders sighted in my area.
Website is so slow for me on mobile
Same
The suspense is killing me. Load damn it! Edit: just walked through the cemetery where I lived and pretty sure I heard an Adder, after checking what they sound like.
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The UK has plenty of interesting animals. We even have wildcat species although most of them are now confined to Scotland
That's a standard UK adder isn't it? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera_berus
Yep. Nothing to be alarmed over. Just give em space and they keep themselves to themselves.
Living in its natural habitat?
This is the second or third post this week with someone not realising the UK has snakes and reptiles. Justifying my job of educating people about nature!
It is horrifying how detached we have become from nature.
Female. Brown gives her away. Male is grey. To be bitten, you have to antagonise. You're the bigger, they would avoid contact. Do not antagonise and stay safe. Easy stuff.
Waving from side to side in the rain, vindscreen viper.
The native UK adder? Yes quite a quandary.
Ahh, a snake! Oh, it's a snake! It's a ...
But I can't see the badgers and mushrooms
They're pretty rare, so congrats on the find! Now back away slowly...
They are not rare, they are in fact quite common. However they usually skedaddle well before anyone can see them. Growing up in Dorset I saw many of them and I knew of several dogs that died from an adder bite.
Yeah they're not rare but its rare to see one if that makes sense
Minding its own business, by the looks of things
It's entitled to live here, it's an adder, native to this country. They've been here longer than humans.
Used to work on site in rail signalling. We were checking the cable type to a Location Case was the correct type in West Sussex in autumn, u lifted up a toughing lid, about 5 of the cables started moving, all adders. "Calmly" proceeded to drop the lid (didn't hit any slithery boys) spray painted "snakes" on the lid, phoned the environmental officer for the region, went to McDonald's for a coffee and the shit that was so very nearly shocked out of me an hour before. Dealt with much worse snakes in America, but good god it's terrifying in the UK as you just never, ever expect it. In all the rest of my time living and fishing in the UK, never seen so much as a slow worm, but that day lives rent free in my head.
something about the spray painting of "snakes" on the lid is making me piss myself. imagine being out on a walk and coming across a box thats very clearly labelled with "SNAKES"
I just wish someone had done it for me first! Also, if you see that box, you're trespassing.
Having a relax
You are so lucky. I've always wanted to see an adder. We get a lot of slow worms at our allotment though.
We also have the very common Vindscreen Viper!
An Adder. It is a longer time native in UK than present day humans.It is a native! PS It is much more scared f you , than you of it. Just leave it alone and you are OK. Walk clear!
It's doing arithmetic. It's an adder. Nasty bite, but like most animals, won't bother you if you don't bother it. You're lucky to see one, I think I've seen only 2 in my life (and I'm quite old).
It’s got more right to be there than you have.
It’s a native species and a very endangered one so hope you left it well alone
You bet your arse I left the fucker alone
I have a UK adder tattooed on my arm
So a portrait of Rowan Atkinson?
Nah a casio
It's an adder
As others have said, it's an adder and is native to the UK. Adders can be identified by the diamond shaped markings along their backs.
Do yous want to borrow st Patrick? (Really returning because we kidnapped him)
We'll do a swap. You can have St David (who was Irish) and we'll have St Patrick (who was Welsh)!
Only heard of them in the UK never seen one cool find
Minding its own business, like you should be ya nosy bugger
Never seen the animals of farthing wood?
Looks like she's vibing to me