Slow worms: The 'legless lizards' that look like snakes
Although at first glance they may look like a grass snake with their sleek movements, they are in fact smaller than a snake.
Referred to as 'legless lizards', slow worms are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, meaning it is an offence to kill, injure or sell them.
The Woodland Trust says: 'While slow worms may look like snakes, they are actually legless lizards.
'They have a smooth, glossy, grey or brown cylindrical body and, unlike snakes, a flat forked tongue, eyelids and a tail which sheds when under attack.
'The tail will carry on moving even when it has been shed in order to distract the predator.'
Are slow worms dangerous?
Slow worms are not dangerous and are considered harmless to humans.
Unlike snakes, they do not have venomous bites. In fact, they can be beneficial to gardeners as they eat slugs and other slow-moving garden pests.
How do slow worms breed?
The Woodland Trust advises that the breeding season, which can be 'quite a hostile time' for slow worms, takes place from May to June.
'Males become aggressive during this time, competing with each other for a mate,' the article states.
'As part of the mating process, the male slow worm takes hold of the female by biting her neck or head. Mating can then go on for as long as 10 hours.'
What do slow worms look like?
They reach around 50cm and are small in comparison to snakes
A metallic bronze sheen to their skin
Females sport dark stripes along the body, while mature males can also show lines of fine blue spots
Where do you find slow worms in the UK?
The RSPB states that slow worms can be found in the sun on warm days, in the woods or even in your garden.
Recommended reading:
'They favour compost heaps, using the warmth to heat up their bodies,' the website states.
'They have a rather patchy distribution but can be found in many parts of England, Wales and Scotland, though along with all species of snake are absent from Northern Ireland.
'They may be encountered on heathlands, moorlands, grassy woodland edges and they love compost heaps in gardens.'
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