english nature - reptiles in your garden

8/14/2019 English Nature - Reptiles in Your Garden

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Reptilesin your garden

Your quest ions answered

working todayfor nature tomorrow


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3Reptiles in your garden

Reptiles inyour gardenYour questions answered

If you see a snake

Keep calm!

Take a good look, but donttouch, catch or trap it

Use the chart and phot os toidentify it (starts onpage four)

Snakes are timid and usuallyflee from people andpets

Reptiles and gardens

England is home to three species of snake (grass snake, adder and smoothsnake) and three species of lizard(common lizard, slow-worm and sandlizard). They are fascinating animals,but due to their secretive behaviourthey are often overlooked ormisunderstood. Snakes, in particular,have suffered from a poor publicimage. Reptiles should be appreciatedand conserved because they are anatural part of our wildlife heritage,

and play a role in naturalecosystems; reptiles also

have particular

cultural, historical, aesthetic andeducational values. Furthermore, allEnglish reptiles have declined innumbers over the last few decades,mainly because their habitats have beenlost, fragmented, neglected orunsympathetically managed.

Reptiles sometimes live in gardens, orvisit gardens during the course of theirmovements. This may prove to be apositive experience for the householder,but sometimes the discovery of areptile causes uncertainty or even fear.In many cases the reptiles will goentirely unnoticed. With a littleplanning, gardens can provide extrarefuges for reptiles, to help compensatefor the habitats lost in the surroundingcountryside - and provide a rewarding

experience for householders. Thisleaflet provides the answers to

the most common queries,hopefully reassuring the

reader over any worries theymay have.

Grass snakes andslow -worms, which areharmless, often visitgardens

Adders, w hich are venomousbut normally pose litt leth reat, rarely occur ingardens

It is illegal to kill or injurenative snakes

Which reptiles live in my garden?

Which snake?Try to take note of the snakesmarkings and colouration. The chart(page 10) and accompanying picturesshould help you to identify the snake.The grass snake is by far the mostcommonly encountered species.Adders rarely turn up in gardens,except if you live close to particularhabitats, especially in certain areas of the country (see chart). Note thatslow-worms (which are in fact leglesslizards) are often mistaken for snakes,and regularly inhabit gardens. Inaddition to our native English reptiles,escaped or abandoned pet snakes aresometimes found in gardens mostcommonly in urban or suburban areas.There is a wide range of colours andsizes among these species.

Which lizard?Slow-worms are by far the mostfrequently reported lizards in Englishgardens. Common lizards (despitetheir name) are more restricted inhabitat, and only tend to turn up if youlive close to particular habitats. Sandlizards are very rare in Britain and it isextremely unlikely you will see oneunless you are in certain parts of thecountry (see chart). Many reports of lizards in gardens actually turn out tobe newts, which is not surprising asthey are superficially very similar.Newts are often found when turningover objects. The photos on page 17show you how to tell the difference.If you find a lizard that does not matchthe descriptions here it may be anescaped pet, but this is rare.

Grass snakes are adept swimmers, andhunt i n garden ponds for amphibians.Paul Sterr y/Natur e Phot ograp hers Ltd


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5Reptiles in your garden4

Identification photos - not t o scale. See chart on page 10 for actual sizes.

Common lizardLacerta vivipara Right:Female wit h newborn young. Some common lizards, ashere, have obviou s stripes. Youn g are always darkbrown, with few obvious markings.Laurie Campbell/NHPA

Below:Basking adul t male, showing how this species is able t oflatt en its body to bett er absorb th e suns heat.Jim Foster/English Nature

Slow-worm Anguis fragilis Left: Adult females have dark brown sides, and often a thin stripe alongthe top of the body ending in a blot ch on the head. Sometimes the stri pecan appear as a very fine zig zag examined closely (do not confuse thiswit h the th icker markings on the adder). A. R. Hamblin/FLPA

Right: Young slow-w orms are golden, silver or copper on to p. They haveblack sides and a black stripe down the back, ending in a blotch on thehead. Females retain t his basic pattern, w hile males lose it with age.Laurie Campbell/NHPA.

Far right: Adult males have few obvious markings, often being plain greyor brown . Not e the shiny, cylindrical appearance. Slow-worms may haveblunt t ails. Mi ke Lane/NHPA.

Sand l izardLacerta agilis Left:Juvenile sand lizards are mainly dark bro wn, wi thwhit e-centred dark bl otches (especially noticeableon t heir sides).Derek Middleton/FLPA.

Below:Adult female (left) showing two light bands onback, and whit e-centred dark blot ches. Adult male(right) showing bright green sides, most obvious inspring. M uch larger than common lizard.Hugh Clark/Nature Photographers Ltd.


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Identification photos - not to scale. See chart on page 10 for actual sizes.

AdderVipera berus Left:Some female and ju venile adders are reddish-brown, as here.Occasionally adders are all black (melanistic) wit h ju st a fain ttrace of the zig-zag markings apparent.Robin Chittenden/FLPA.

Below:Adult females (left) have a light brown background with darkerbrown markings, while males (right) are grey or whiti sh withblack markings.Joe Blossom/NHPA.

Grass snake Natrix natrix Left: Grass snakes almost always have an obvious yellow, orange o r wh itemarking, b ordered by a black markin g on t he neck. These marks can becrescents, V-marks or can appear as a single band or " collar" . Females lay10-40 leathery eggs in late June t o July. A . R. Hamblin/FLPA.

Right: Occasionally grass snakes are very dark all over, and the light neckmarks are reduced or missing. However the bl ack marks on the neck andsides are still p resent. Mik e Lane/NHPA.

Far right: Juvenile grass snakes oft en have very obvious light neckmarkings. They are around 15 cm (6 in) and very thin at hatching, in l ateAugust to September. Jim Foster/English Nature.

Smoo th snakeCoronella austriaca Above:The smooth snake is normally grey orbrown with darker paired markingsdown t he back. It is very rarely foundin gardens.R. W ilmshurst/FLPA.

Non-nativesRight:Escaped or ab andon ed pet snakes, suchas this corn snake from North America,show a wide range of colours and sizes.Leonard Lee Rue/FLPA.


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Reptiles oft en thri ve on railway embankments, so if you liveclose by (even in urban areas) you are likely to have snakesor li zards visit you r garden . Ray Bird/FLPA.

Anxiety about snakesin your garden

How common is fear of snakes?Many people who encounter snakes inthe garden are surprised, concerned andinitially afraid. Normally this is basedon unfamiliarity and the information inthis leaflet should help to control suchfears. However, some people have agenuine snake phobia (i.e. excessivefear, leading to various physicalsymptoms such as a rapid heart beatand breathing difficulties), which theyoften acknowledge is irrational becauseit is disproportionate to the real risksinvolved. Such people may requireparticular assistance when dealing withsnake encounters; behaviour therapy orhypnotherapy may help in thelong term.

What legal protectiondo reptiles have?All British reptiles are protectedagainst killing, injury and sale. Thesmooth snake and sand lizard receiveadditional protection that prohibitsdisturbance, capture and damage toparts of their habitat. There is a fine of up to 5,000 and/or up to six monthsimprisonment for any of these offences.

Why do snakes livein my garden?Unless you have a very large gardenwith plenty of wildlife areas, it isunlikely that the snakes are actuallyresident. It is much more probable thatthe snakes visit your garden in thecourse of their normal movements.The more reptile habitat near to yourhouse the more likely it is that you willhave a reptilian visitor.

Living near to the following featuresincreases the likelihood of reptiles:

Rockeries, log piles, and debris are attractive t o repti les, whichseek refuge i n crevices. Jurgen & Christine Sohns/FLPA.

Step 2.Think about why the snake was in yourgarden:

a) Your garden backs on to a naturereserve, railway embankment, or otherpreferred habitat. In this situation,there is little point in trying tophysically remove it, as snakes mayvisit your garden regularly. It is betterto accept this (see Learning to live withreptiles, page 12). If you have aserious phobia of snakes, or you haveconcerns about adders, follow theadvice on "snake-proofing" yourgarden (see page 13).

b) Good habitat is generally dispersedthrough your area. In such cases, thesnake is likely to move on of its ownaccord soon.

c) There is poor habitat (roads,buildings) between you and the nearestgood habitat. Often the snake willmove on, but if it is disoriented andcannot get back to its normal habitat,then finding someone to remove it isadvisable (see page 13).

What if I dont want snakes in mygarden?Step1.Check carefully which species youhave seen. Many people initiallybelieve they have seen adders, butstudies reveal that over 95% of adderreports from gardens turn out to begrass snakes or slow-worms. This isnot surprising because often we getonly a fleeting glimpse of the snake.Adders are only likely to occur ingardens if you live close to theirpreferred habitats (see chart, page 10);in most of England, it is unusual tofind adders in gardens. Escaped petsnakes should be removed forre-homing (call the RSPCA on0870 55 55 999).

Reptiles are attracted t o gardens with sunny areas, plenty ofvegetation cover, and places to t ake shelter. They will of tenuse abandoned pro perties which become overgrown.Paul Sterr y/Nature Photog rapher s Ltd.

Nature reserves containing keyhabitats such as heathland andrough grassland

Derelict urban areas, such asabandoned factory sites

Disused quarries

Allotments

Unshaded road and rail banks withgrass/scrub cover

Ponds, rivers and other wetlands*

Muck heaps on farms and stables*

The following features in your gardenmay attract reptiles:

Ponds*

Compost or grass cuttings heap*

Wildlife areas with long grass andshrubs

Rockeries

Wood, rock and rubble piles

* appli es mainly t o gr ass snakes



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10

Occurrence in gardens

Rare, except where goodhabitats adjoin garden.

Frequent if slow-wormspresent in general area, andgarden has long grass andrefuges such as wood piles.

May be found in citygardens.

Very rare only likely nearheathland in Dorset orsandy areas on SeftonCoast.

Frequent, especially closeto ponds, farms or stableswith muck heaps. Cantravel long distances.Compost heaps and pondsmay attract grass snakes.

Rare, except when near tofavoured habitats - morelikely in sand or chalk areas in Dorset, Cornwall,Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex.

Very rare only close toheathland sites in Dorset,Hampshire, Surrey.

Snakes: occasional.Lizards: rare.

Preferred habitats(excluding gardens)

Heathland, bogs, moorland,woodland edge, rough grassland;often found in derelict urban areasand on railway banks.

Heathland, bogs, moorland,woodland edge, rough grassland;often found in derelict urban areasand on railway banks.

Predominantly on dry heathland(south) or sand dunes (Merseyside).May also occur on adjacent grassland,derelict urban areas, railway banks.

Normally associated with ponds,lakes, streams, rivers, canals,marshes. Travels widely insurrounding habitats: woodland,grassland, low intensity farmland,heathland, derelict urban areas.

Heathland, bogs, moorland,woodland edge, rough grassland;sometimes on derelict urban areasand railway banks. Prefers sandyor chalky soils; rare on clay soils.

Predominantly on heathland.May also occur on adjacentgrassland, derelict urban areas,railway banks.

Normally in urban or suburban areas.

Commonlizard

Slow-worm

Sandlizard

Grasssnake

Adder

Smoothsnake

Escaped pet(various species)

Distribution

Widespread across England butnormally occurs in small areas wherepreferred habitats occur. Absent fromintensive agricultural areas.

Widespread across England. Commonin some localities, but absent fromintensive agricultural areas.

Highly restricted. Mostly in Dorset, afew populations in Merseyside (SeftonCoast), Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex,Berkshire, Devon, Cornwall.

Widespread across central andsouthern England, but much rarernorth of the Midlands.

Found in most counties of England,but restricted to distinct patches of suitable habitat (sometimes verysmall areas). Largely absent or rarein the North-west and the Midlands.

Highly restricted. Mostly in Dorset,some populations in Hampshire andSurrey.

Can be anywhere close to populationcentres.

Typicaladult length

14 cm(5.5 in)

35 cm (14 in)(NB: manyslow-wormslose their

tails, so canbe shorter).

18 cm(7 in)

75 cm(2.5 ft)

55 cm(2 ft)

55 cm(2 ft)

Various.

Colours, markings,key identification features

Light and dark spots, flecks and stripeson brown/grey background. Very variable.Young may be all brown or black. Oftenbasks on rocks, wood piles, etc.

Brown, copper, golden or grey; may haveblack/dark brown sides and thin stripe onback. Small head, often with dark spot.Very shiny. Tail often blunt. Normally

discovered underneath objects lyingon ground.

Light and dark spots/blotches on brown orgreen background. Two light bands oneither side of back. Normallyseen basking.

Background: olive-green, brown or grey.Neck: yellow or white mark, next to black mark. Black bars down sides, some black spots on top. Markings are occasionallyfaint. Normally seen in or near pond, orbasking in sunny spot. Very fast-moving.

Background: grey or brown; may bereddish. Dark brown, reddish or black zig-zag from head to tail. Spots on sides.Entirely black adders sometimes occur.Normally seen basking in sunny spots.

Background: grey or brown. Dark blotches on back, normally in pairs.Dark blotch on head. Secretive,normally found underneath objects.

Various.

Garden repti le ident ifi catio n chart - use alongside th e phot os on pages 4 to 7



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How can I "snake-proof" my garden?The following actions will make itmuch less attractive to reptiles:

Mow grass regularly to keep it short.

Remove shrubs and other plants thatprovide cover at ground level.

Remove features that providereptiles with hiding places, such asrockeries, debris, woodpiles, andboards. If you need to retain awood pile raise it above the groundby 30 cm (1 ft), for instance byplacing it on a rack.

Remove compost heaps and grasscutting piles, or maintain them insealed bins.

Putting a wall or close-fittingfence around the pond can help byreducing snake access, but this willcause problems for other wildlife(and people) accessing the pond.Make sure you consider the safetyaspects of this fully. In extremecases you might consider filling inyour pond (note: this is only likelyto dissuade grass snakes, but it is adrastic solution as other wildlifewill suffer; see Further reading).

Snakes cannot dig, but will useexisting holes, so fill in any holes orcrevices where reptiles can hide(look at: house footings, under theshed, patios, walls and the grounditself). Only fill in holes when theyare not occupied.

You may also need to ask neighboursto take similar action. Experienceshows that the above steps really canresult in a major reduction in snakevisits. However, it is very difficult toentirely prevent snakes or lizardsentering your garden. A morethorough solution is to erect a specialfence around your garden. It shouldbe at least 60 cm (2 ft) high, dug intothe ground, and carefully sealed toleave no gaps. You can do this byattaching hard-wearing, ultra-violetresistant plastic sheeting (from abuilders merchant) to an existingfence. Alternatively a free-standingfence can be constructed by usingstakes to support the sheeting. A lowbrick wall could also work.

Important note : these steps will alsoreduce the overall value of yourgarden for wildlife, so deciding on asensible balance is up to you.

How can I go about removing a snakefrom my garden?This is not normally recommended,but can be advisable for disorientated,injured or trapped snakes, or wherethere is a genuine danger of adderbite. The Contacts section listsorganisations who may be able torecommend local reptile experts.

The RSPCA (tel 0870 55 55 999)may be able to help with trapped orinjured snakes. Snakes should beremoved to the nearest suitablehabitat, from where they are likely tohave originated.

Reptiles are timid and when they

detect people or pets they normallyseek cover.

Grass snakes and slow-worms (themost common species in gardens)are harmless to people and pets.

To make a particular area lessattractive to reptiles, clear awayreptile-friendly features and keepthe grass cut very short.

You are most likely to seereptiles on warm, sunnydays. On hot days theywill be more active, and

quicker to flee.

Reptiles hibernate fromaround October to March,and most garden visits arereported in June toSeptember. Hence, you areonly likely to see themduring a short period of theyear.

Learning to live with reptiles

Living near to good reptile habitatmeans that snakes or lizards canbecome regular visitors. At first, thiscan cause concern, but a few facts canhelp reassure you. Remember thatreptiles are declining, are protected bylaw, and removing them is oftendifficult without reducing the generalappeal of your garden.

Reptiles occasionally bask ondriveways close to the house,so be aware when leaving thehouse or returning to it insunny weather.

When working in the garden, beprepared to find reptiles if lifting updebris, and if you are close to keyfeatures such as hedge bases, ponds,compost heaps and long grass.

It is best not to handle snakes andlizards, as it can harm them.

Report your sightings to reptileconservation groups, who may beinterested to hear and can offerfurther advice (see Contacts).

Grass snakes oft en use garden compost heap s and grasscuttings piles as egg-laying sites, because of the ideal heatand moisture condit ions. Jim Foster/English Nature.


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Lowland heathland is home to all our rept ile species, but huge areas have been lost, fragment ed or negl ected. Sand lizards andsmooth snakes have suffered most from this loss, and conservation programmes now restore key areas and in some casesreint rodu ce rept iles. Jim Foster/Engl ish Natur e.

Occasionally people doing thegardening report being bitten by anadder, but not having seen the snake.These cases are more likely due tospider bites (there are several Britishspecies capable of delivering a painfulbite) or pricking by thorns. Bites tocats and dogs do occur, but rarelyprove fatal; such bites probably occurmore often in the countryside than ingardens. Vets and doctors in areaswhere adders occur are experienced inhandling bite cases, and effectivetreatment is now well understood.

How harmful are adders?The adder is the only British venomoussnake, a fact which has earned it adubious public image. Bites fromadders are very rare, and the vastmajority occur when a snake is pickedup. Most reactions to adder bites aremild, but any bite should be regardedas potentially serious and immediatemedical advice should be sought. Inthe last century, 12 human deaths inBritain have been attributed to adderbites (this compares with several deathsevery year due to insect stings).


How can I stop snakes harming otherwildlife?Snakes are an important part of thefood web, and they will enter gardensto find prey. This is a naturaloccurrence and it should not beprevented. Snakes take very lownumbers of prey, and will not endangerprey populations in doing so. Declinesin your garden frog numbers could bepart of natural fluctuations, or are morelikely due to fish, disease (in certainareas), or habitat changes.

How can I stop grass snakes eatingmy goldfish?Although they usually enter gardensto catch amphibians, grass snakesoccasionally eat goldfish. It is worthnoting that grass snakes only takevery small numbers of prey items.If you have noticed a sudden,substantial loss of fish then it is muchmore likely to be herons or cats.To reduce snake predation, follow theguidance on snake-proofing yourgarden (page 13).

A garden w ith litt le cover for rept iles. Such gardens will be avoided, or onl y visited very brief ly. F. W. Lane/FLPA.


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Newts, like this smooth new t (top ), are often mistaken forlizards. Note the velvety skin, four t oes on fron t feet, and

vertically flattened tail . Common lizards (bott om) havescaly, shiny skin, five toes, more pointed head, and a

cylindrical tail. Newts appear more lethargic than lizards,which move around more in hot weat her.

Jim Foster/English Nature.Nicholas Brown/Nature Photographers Ltd.

Reptile biology

How long do reptiles live?Many reptiles die within the first yearof life, through predation or duringhibernation. Once they reach sexualmaturity (generally after three to fiveyears) a good proportion may live on upto around 10 years. A smaller numberwill exceed this, and for some speciessuch as the adder and smooth snakethere are reliable records of 18 year oldanimals.

Are reptiles cold-blooded?It is more correct to say they havevariable body temperatures. Snakesand lizards cannot generate their ownbody heat internally, and so depend onexternal sources. This means basking

in the sun, or being in contact withwarm surfaces or warm air. Thecooler they are, the less active theybecome. Reptiles select the rightplace to warm up or cool down (this istermed thermoregulation). So, whilsta hibernating lizard would have a verylow temperature, whilst basking on asunny day in August it would bewarm.

When and where are reptiles active?Reptiles generally emerge fromhibernation in March, and are activeuntil October; some may be active lateror earlier if weather permits. Snakescan travel long distances, with grasssnakes tracked over 4 km (2.5 mile).Lizards seem to move much less, oftenoccupying very restricted areas.


kitchen waste, grass cuttings,manure, dead leaves or sawdust

Ensure there is easy access for thesnakes do not seal the heapcompletely

Do not turn the heap betweenmid-June and late September, aseggs may be inside

What should I avoid in the garden?Cats often kill or injure reptiles, so it isbest not to have one if you want toencourage reptiles. Bells on cat collarswill not help much as snakes cannothear airborne sounds, and lizardhearing is not acute. Netting overponds and in vegetable patches shouldbe avoided, or use only more rigidnetting material with a mesh size of atleast 4 cm (1.5 in); snakes often dieafter getting caught in flexible,narrow-mesh netting. Before mowingthe lawn, walk the area to be cut so thatreptiles are dispersed into shelteredareas. Cutting on cold days reduces thechances of killing reptiles; pay specialattention in long grass areas. Maintainlawns with regular mowing, todiscourage reptile occupancy.

Should I introduce reptiles?If you create good habitats and thereptiles occur nearby naturally, itshould not be necessary to introducethem as they will colonise. Bringing inreptiles is not normally advised as theymay become disorientated, and thehabitats in your garden alone may notbe enough to support a population.

Encouraging reptilesin your garden

How can I attract reptilesto my garden?Leave areas of your garden to growwild, but also retain some shorter areasof vegetation to allow basking.Construct log piles in sunny spots, andreduce the height of shading trees,hedges or fences. Ensure there is freeentry at ground level around the edgeof the garden. Create rockeries, orbanks with plenty of crevices, insouth-facing areas close to denservegetation. Maintain a grass cuttingsheap or compost heap (see below). Diga pond to encourage amphibians, whichare an important prey source for grasssnakes, and leave some rough areasnearby to allow snakes to approach.Leaving out wooden boards, roofingfelt or corrugated iron sheets will helpyou find out if reptiles are using thegarden, as they will be used for baskingon or taking refuge underneath.

Will grass snakes breedin my garden?Grass snakes lay their eggs in warm,moist areas to help incubation. Studiesshow that they will readily use gardencompost and grass cuttings heaps. Usethese tips to encourage them:

Make the heap as big as possible

Put it in a sunny spot, but close to ahedge or ground cover

Replenish the heap with compost,


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Further reading

Note : "L" indicates a publication thatis normally available from theauthoring organisation rather than frombookshops or libraries.

Amphibians and reptiles: A naturalhistory of the British herpetofauna, byT Beebee and R Griffiths.HarperCollins (The New Naturalistseries), 2000.

Amphibians in your garden: your questions answered.English Nature, 2002, L.

Froglife Advice Sheet 2:Snakes need friends. Froglife, 2002, L.

Froglife Advice Sheet 6:Conserving grass snakes.Froglife, 1995, L.

Froglife Advice Sheet 8: Exotic reptiles and amphibians in thewild. Froglife, 1997, L.

Froglife Advice Sheet 10: Reptile survey. Froglife, 1999, L.

Guide to the reptiles and amphibians of Britain and Ireland, by P Roberts,Froglife and D Ovenden. Field StudiesCouncil, 1999.

Lizards of the British Isles, byP Stafford. Shire Publications, 1989.

Snakes and lizards, by T Langton.Whittet Books, 1989.

The adder, by P Stafford.Shire Publications, 1987.

Which snake is it? (poster).Froglife, 2001, L.

Contacts

English Nature,Northminster House,Peterborough PE1 1UA.Tel (Enquiry Service)01733 455100 / 455101 / 455102.www.english-nature.org.uk.Provides general advice.

Froglife,Mansion House,27-28 Market Place,Halesworth,Suffolk IP19 8AY.Tel 01986 873733.www.froglife.org.

Contacts for local reptileconservation groups and experts;provides literature, training andenquiry service during office hours.

The HerpetologicalConservation Trust,655a Christchurch Road,Boscombe,Bournemouth,Dorset BH1 4AP.Tel 01202 391319.www.herpconstrust.org.uk.Focuses on the conservation of therarer reptile species andimplementation of UK SpeciesAction Plans.

18

How do reptiles reproduce?Only the sand lizard and grass snakelay eggs (which they do in June andlate-June to July respectively). Theother species give birth to live young,in some cases inside a transparentmembrane. Mating occurs from Aprilto June, and birth or hatching from Julyto September. The exact timing of reproduction varies between speciesand depends a great deal on weatherconditions.

How many young do they have?Typical numbers per female are:

Common lizard 4-10;Slow-worm 6-12;Sand lizard 6-14 (eggs);Grass snake 10-40 (eggs);Adder 6-20;Smooth snake 4-15.

Which predators feed on reptiles?Natural predators include crows,magpies, buzzards, kestrels, foxes,badgers, hedgehogs, and other

Derelict urban areas oft en develop into excellent rept ilehabitats. M any of these brownf ield sites are nowtargeted for development, unfortunately meaning thatreptile sites are frequently th reatened with d estruction.Jim Foster/English Nature

This pregnant f emale common lizard has lost her tail, but it wil l regrow. Lizards may voluntaril y shed their tai ls when threatened orpicked up. The tail then tw itches around; this may be a defensive mechanism to confuse predators. Slow-wor ms cannot regrow t heir tails.Jim Foster/English Nature.

reptiles. Cats will also prey on reptiles,and pheasants eat young snakes.

What do reptiles eat?Lizards feed on a range of invertebrates, including insects, spidersand molluscs. Grass snakes feedlargely on amphibians, while addersand smooth snakes prefer lizards andsmall mammals. Fish and nestlingbirds are sometimes taken by snakes.


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English Nature is theGovernment agencythat champions theconservation of wildlife and

geology throughout England.This is one of a range of publications published by:External Relations TeamEnglish NatureNorthminster HousePeterborough PE1 1UA

www.english-nature.org.uk

English Nature 2003

Printed on EvolutionSatin, 75% recycledpost-consumer waste paper,Elemental Chlorine Free.

ISBN 1 85716 711 2

Catalogue code IN9.8

Designed and Printed byStatus Design & Advertising,10M.

Front cover phot ograph:The grass snake is the most commonlyseen snake in Engl ish gardens.Jim Foster/English Nature

english nature - reptiles in your garden

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