Slow Worm - Anguis fragilis

The Slow Worm is active from April to October in well-vegetated habitats where there is plenty of ground cover.

Habitat

It is found in damp areas in glades, tussocky grasslands, and sunny embankments. It is also often found in compost heaps in gardens, or under corrugated iron where there are warm conditions. They are commonly found in gardens and compost heaps, where food is plentiful and the rotting plant material creates warm conditions.

Description

Slow Worms are sometimes mistaken for a snake, but is actually a legless lizard. It has a cylindrical shape and a shiny, smooth almost metallic appearance. Adults can grown up to 50cm and are brown to grey in colour, but the females and males are slightly different, females are brown to copper coloured, with dark brown sides, they may have a dark stripe along their back and stripes running down their sides. Males are greyish-brown in colour and do not normally have the stripes but may have some blue spots, also their heads are wider. The young are usually gold or silver with dark flanks and underbelly.

Biology

Slugs, snails and other garden pests make up the majority of the Slow Worms diet making it a welcome garden visitor. The Latin name Anguis fragilis means ‘fragile snake’ referring to the Slow Worms ability to shed their tails if they are seized by predators, which may continue to move, giving the Slow Worm enough time to escape while the predator is distracted. They start to grow a new tail in a few weeks.

The Slow Worm emerges from hibernation in March and by May courtship has started. They can often be seen at this time as the males become aggressive towards each other as they fight for females and courtship can last for many hours as the males and females intertwine their bodies. The young are born in August and September and are fully grown at about 6 years, and they can live for many years.

Conservation

The Slow Worm is protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), making it illegal to kill, injure or sell this species. It is also listed as a Species of Conservation Concern under the UK BAP (UK Biodiversity Action Plan), but is not a priority species.