Good Season for Snake Sign

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,815
1,511
Stourton,UK
I'll try and get some pics up which show you how.

Although not a hard and fast rule. Adders are sexually dimorphic. Which basically means the sexes are different colours. Females are usually brown with darker brown pattern, while males are grey to brown with black pattern.

 

bambodoggy

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 10, 2004
3,062
51
49
Surrey
www.stumpandgrind.co.uk
Ah, so it's mainly females I seem to see....thank you, every day's a school day :)

I saw an adder in southern Sweden a few years ago and it was almost black with just slightly lighter (very very dark grey markings). Do they vary in colour much from place to place?

Sorry....don't mean to hijack your thread with questions! :)
 

JonathanD

Ophiological Genius
Sep 3, 2004
12,815
1,511
Stourton,UK
They vary in colour just in one site. That male adder in my picture is in breeding colours. Throughout the rest of the year they tend to look like this...

ber210.jpg




Yeah, I know it can get confusing. But the markings are very black which gives it away as male. Females get very dark brown markings.
 

Mafro

Settler
Jan 20, 2010
598
2
Kent
www.selfemadeknives.co.uk
Such a good thread Jonathan, It's always a pleasure reading your posts.

Where I used to work I could be on heathland in just a 5 minute walk, and would sometimes see adders. Always females. Are they generally more likely to been seen, or are you just as likely to see a male?
 

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