Adders and other UK Snakes Trivia Quiz

Answer: Zig-zag

The zig-zag marking is the most commonly cited means of identifying an adder. As well as the zig-zag marking the snakes also have a distinctive V shaped marking on their heads. Male adders are lighter in colour than females and are usually white or light grey in colour with black markings while females are usually a darker brown shade but still have black markings.

Answer: True

The adder is a venomous snake and is the only venomous snake native to the UK. Although they are venomous they are not usually aggressive and only attack if threatened such as by being stepped on or caught. Adder bites are rarely fatal to humans but the effects of their bite can be quite nasty so people who are bitten need to seek medical attention quickly.

Answer: During the day

Diurnal creatures are those which are most active during daylight hours. In the UK the adder is diurnal whereas those found in more southerly countries are more active in the evening. Adders hibernate during winter and in the UK the snakes hibernate for around 150 to 180 days each year.

Answer: Southern England

The smooth snake can be found throughout Europe and in parts of Asia. In the UK however it can only be found in the counties of Dorset, Hampshire and West Surrey, all located in southern England. The smooth snake is one of the UK's native snakes.

Answer: Black

A smooth snake can have up to 15 babies at one time. The young are ususally between 14-16cm at the time of birth. They have completely black heads unlike adult smooth snakes which have dark grey or dark red heads depending on if they are female or male.

Answer: Amphibians

The grass snake is native to the UK and is mainly found in England and Wales. Grass snakes can swim and usually live near to water. Their main prey in the UK is the common toad and the common frog both of which are amphibians although they can eat other creatures, including ants and earthworms, should there be a scarcity of their preferred food.

This is unlike the rough green snake and the smooth green snake which are often referred to as grass snakes in the US which do mainly eat insects.

Answer: Garlic

The grass snake is not venomous so it needs other ways to ward off predators. The main way it protects itself is to release a liquid from its anal glands that smells strongly of garlic to put other creatures off eating it. It can also go completely limp and, as such, play dead.

Answer: Regents Park

The Aesculapian snake is not native to the UK but there are two known wild populations started by escaped snakes. The first is in Conwy, North Wales near to the Welsh Mountain Zoo. The zoo imported aesculapian snakes from Italy in the 1960s and it is believed some escaped and started living and breeding in the local area.

A second population of aesculapian snakes was discovered in and around Regents Park in London. Although London Zoo is located nearby the zoo are unsure where the snakes originally escaped from.

Answer: Lizard

Although its appearance does resemble a snake the slow-worm is actually a legless lizard. It is classified as such because it has eyelids, which snakes do not, and it can shed its tail to help escape from attacks. The slow-worm also sheds its skin in patches unlike snakes which shed their entire skin in one go. Slow-worms are burrowing lizards which feed on slugs and worms.

Answer: Northern Ireland

There are no native wild snake populations on the island of Ireland (of which Northern Ireland is part). Although legend says that this is because St Patrick drove out the snakes the actual answer is that when snakes evolved Ireland was underwater so no snakes could evolve there. Eventually the waters receded and Ireland ceased to be submerged.

However, even though Ireland has been attached to other land masses during its geological history any snakes that tried to colonise it would have died during the ice age as cold blooded animals would not have been able to survive in the cold temperatures.