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During spring, male newts undertake an
elaborate courtship display, with lots of
extravagant tail waving. After mating,
the females lay hundreds of individually
wrapped eggs amongst the leaves of
pond plants, and the young newts or efts
begin to emerge from the pond in August.
All newt species come and go from ponds.
The adult males arrive at their breeding
ponds in the spring, and then start to leave
from May onwards - though some may
stay until as late as October, and even
overwinter in the pond. By late September,
they are looking for damp sheltered places
to hibernate, like tree roots, burrows, and
log or rubble piles. If you have newts in
your garden then you can help them by
providing some undisturbed hibernation
places for them.
GRASS SNAKE
(
Natrix natrix
)
Although found throughout England
and Wales, Grass Snakes are declining
nationally. Britain’s longest snake, growing
to a metre and sometimes more, in length,
Grass Snakes are usually grey-green in
colour, with a distinctive yellow to orange-
red and black collar around the neck, and
black markings down the sides of the body.
This beautiful,and non venomous snake
is extremely timid and will vanish rapidly if
you disturb it. However, they are excellent
swimmers, and like to come to garden
ponds, particularly to hunt for fish and
amphibians, which are favourite foods.
Grass snakes are Britain’s only egg-laying
snake. The females lay up to around 40
off-white, leathery eggs in June or July, in
warm places, including garden compost
heaps. The eggs hatch into miniature
versions of the adults in the late summer
months.
30
Grass Snake © Jonathan Cranfield
Great Crested Newt
© Andy Harmer
Male Smooth Newt
© Fred Hol
mes