Slow worm Anguis fragilis

With a smooth and shiny snake-like body, the slow worm is quite distinctive. A slow worm is actually a legless lizard and differs from British snakes in having a cylindrical body which does not taper in at the neck. The males vary in colour from grey to bronze with a pale underside. The females are usually browner than the males, with darker sides, a dark underside and a black stripe running along the back. Some slow worms have blue spots. The presence of blue spots is more common in males.

As a slow worm is a reptile it is dependant on the surrounding temperature to control its body heat. It will therefore choose areas that are warm and humid. Dry grassy meadows, compost heaps in gardens, woodland margins and churchyards are all suitable habitats for the slow worm. Of all the British reptiles the slow worm is the one most likely to be found in gardens, but because of its shy nature its presence often goes undetected. Unlike other reptiles found in Britain the slow worm chooses to hunt at dusk or after rainfall, feeding on slow moving prey such as slugs, snails and earthworms which suit its slow-moving lifestyle.

March to October. Slow worms emerge from hibernation in late February into early March. During late April, May and June slow worms begin to mate. However, the egg will not become fertilised until June when it passes down the oviduct. Males fight over females, with the female pairing with several different males during the breeding season. During the summer, females may be seen basking in the sun to help the development of their pregnancy. After a 3-5 month gestation period between 6 and 12 young are born in transparent sacks which they will break immediately after birth. During October, as colder weather begins to set in, slow worms look to hibernate under piles of leaves, amongst tree roots or in crevices.

Create a wild area in your garden, with log piles, rocks and pieces of corrugated iron. These sites are attractive to slow worms as daytime resting places and for hibernation. Build a compost heap as this will provide the slow worm with plenty of food and the heat generated from the compost will keep it warm.