OTHER NAMES: Grass Snake, Common Snake, Green Snake, Water Snake, Ringed Snake
Latin Etymology: Natrix ("water snake") helvetica ("of Switzerland")
Adult Barred Grass Snake (subspecies N. n. helvetica) at Summer Leys, Northants - April 2024
Featured Subspecies: Natrix helvetica helvetica
Weight: 240g / Length: 100cmNOT EVALUATED / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
The largest land based reptile in the UK, grass snakes are also by far the commonest of the UKs three native snake species - it isn't technically particularly rare but seeing even this most common of snakes is a rare and unusual occurrence, which in most places isn't at all reliable. It is not venomous, and mainly eats frogs and toads - and is also known as the water snake for it's propensity for swimming - often catching tadpoles. It may occasionally, as in this case, enter gardens and even hibernate or breed in people's compost heaps.
Related Species:
Order: Colubridae
Family: Natricinae
Genus: Natrix
SUBSPECIES: N. n. natrix, N. n. cetti, N. n. corsa, N. n. helvetica, N. n. lanzai
- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - A reasonably common resident though difficult to see.
- Seen a few times around Geddington and Brigstock
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List. RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .
