Adder on Cleeve Common

[Richardbathgate]

Just in case anyone is interested:

I was walking up on cleeve common today and saw what im fairly sure is an Adder. This is the first snake I can remember seeing in the wild, although my parents assure me we had a Grass Snake in the garden about 14 years ago when I was two!

I managed to get a four pictures of it - the first three are pretty bad, but I quite like the last one. I havent resized these, so each is approx. 1900x1400 and about 650KB.

Adder Pic1
Adder Pic2
Adder Pic3
Adder Pic4

Richard

[Deer Stalker]

Yep, female Adder.

[nightshade]

Quite definitely an Adder and an absolutely splendid photo No.4
I am very envious,I have seen them very close but never with a camera

[demicav]

Super photos. One of my favourites.

[Gue Jam Fowsid]

I know are some common indicators of the differences between male and females, such as males being the grey colour and females terracotta colour, but variability does occur.

In the last shot you can see the black colouration of the ventral (belly) scales and the black zig zag pattern on this fella's back (typical of the male). The females zig zag pattern is generally brown in colour and not so conspicuous. Also, the lip scales on this individual are more black and white compared to the orange/cream that you would associate with a female.

This snake looks quite drab in appearance anyway, which may indicate the little fella is about to shed his jacket and buy a new one! After this the colours would look a little more defined.

Its so hard to tell sometimes......

[goosey]

Hi Richard, I think they are excellent photo's and you did well to get them. I've never seen any in the wild but will be in the Ullswater area in the summer so fingers crossed I will get to see one then.
Welcome to WAB - a great first post by the way!

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Deer Stalker

Yep, female Adder.

Couple of weeks ago I saw a couple like this around London + on colour I would have said female like you, but the warden who was monitoring them said they were males that hadn't sloughed + that the females hadn't emerged yet, so I felt a little confused after that at sexing them!

[yellowhammer]

I'd say pre-slough male, as Gue Jam Fowsid says. This is a pic of a male with a very brown appearance who is due to shed;



You can see the black zig-zag and white labials. This is a female (from under the same tin!);



The brown markings & browner labials are obvious.

[Mr Mag00]

striking photos Richard.I have never encountered as many adders as i did when butterfly survey work when i worked in the Cotswolds. some of the work included ant surveys which needed early starts and i would often encounter them basking at 6-7 in the morning on limestone scrapes and collapsed walls, wonderful times and experiences, thanks for the reminder

[Za]

Nice pictures! I have looked for adders in quite a few places where I have been told they can be seen, but havent been fortunate enough yet to see any.