Adder Emergence and a Close Shave

The local adders are now emerging from hibernation. They are all males - black stripe on top and diamonds on sides; black-outlined rostral scale (nose); gently tapering tail. At this time of the year males are often mis-identified as females as the background colour is quite brown. The brown background colour should be ignored. They are due to slough their skins soon whereupon the males will become more black and grey.

They are out getting some heat to help sperm development........mating season approaches.

Hope to get some photos of them post-slough (april-ish), along with some females.



At this time of the year, the males are just outside their hibernacula




Check out the smoothly tapering tail




Stripes are quite black in the male




Note the black outline on the rotral scale (nose). Some nice blue flecks on the side of this male.

One of the hibernacula had a rather close shave from the strimmer crew. It looks to me like some mis-communication, as forest enterprise know where the hibernation site is, but the strimmer crew obviously didn't.


hibernacula with damage caused by brash strimmer crew