Reptile
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Size
50–70 cm (up to 90 cm)About as long as a walking stick
Weight
50–150 gRoughly the weight of a smartphone
Lifespan
Up to 15 years in the wild
Rarity
Uncommon
M vs F
Males are usually grey/silver with a bold black zigzag; females tend to be more reddish-brown with a duller zigzag
Habitat
Heathland, moorland, woodland edges and sand dunes
Best time
March–October; often seen basking in early spring after emerging from hibernation
Conservation
LC
💡 Did you know?
The adder is the UK's only venomous snake, but it's shy and would rather escape than bite — bites on people are very rare!
Male adders perform a "dance of the adders" in spring, wrestling and intertwining with rival males to compete for mates — often mistaken for a mating pair.
Often confused with
Grass Snake (longer
no zigzag
yellow/black collar
not venomous)
Slow Worm (legless lizard
no pattern
smaller)
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