Introduction
Amphibian and reptile (herpetofauna) recording in the county has gained momentum in the nineties and with the development of an electronic database these records can be used to produce distribution maps at a 1 km squared resolution. Over 3500 records are in the Warwickshire database with new ones being entered all the time. Each record is a six figure ordnance survey reference and is not technically a ‘site’, as there may be several records for one specific ‘site’. The mapping facility enables any records within a 1 kilometre square to be summated in order to produce a series of distribution maps of Warwickshire’s herpetofauna.
The UK supports six native species of amphibian and six native species of reptile. In Warwickshire there are four amphibian species and four reptile species (asterisked).
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More detailed information about some of our amphibians and reptiles is given further down the page - or click on the link in the table above. You can obtain more information about all of the British Herps at The Herpetological Conservation Trust's website.
The Natterjack Toad, Sand Lizard and Smooth Snake are rare species and are confined to specific habitats such as sand dunes and lowland heath elsewhere in Britain.
The Palmate newt (Triturus helveticus), despite being frequently recorded in Wales, West England and Scotland has not been recorded in Warwickshire after the second World War, although we do have unconfirmed reports from Nuneaton and Sutton Park for this species. In the 1901 Victoria County History of Warwickshire the Palmate newt is described as 'very common and abundant on the oolitic hills of Gloucestershire and the near parts of Warwickshire.' The writer mentions that the further from those districts the rarer it becomes and there are no records from North Warwickshire. More survey work, especially in the extreme south of the county around the Warwickshire/Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire border is needed to confirm the Palmate newt's definite absence from the county.
Due to their secretive nature, reptiles are under-recorded compared to amphibians which are relatively easy to see during their spring breeding season in ponds and other water bodies. 74% of the records in the database are for amphibians, compared to a mere 26% for reptiles. Surveying for reptiles is very weather-dependent, with reptiles preferring to bask when the air temperature is between 10 - 20 degrees Celsius with no wind. Ideal conditions within this temperature window are sunshine after a rainy spell or an overcast day, when the sun is trying to break through the clouds.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Reptiles are easily recognised by their dry, scaly skin whereas amphibians skins are moist and lack scales. Unlike warm-blooded birds and mammals, reptiles and amphibians have variable temperatures and gain heat by basking in the sun and live close to the temperature of the air or water that surrounds them. All amphibians need fresh water in which to spawn or deposit their eggs whereas reptiles need warm sites to deposit their eggs or retain the eggs inside the body and give birth to live young. Reptiles and amphibians play an important part in ecological communities and are valuable indicators of environmental change.
Reptiles and Amphibians in Decline
Numbers of reptiles and amphibians continue to decline. The threats facing them include habitat loss through urbanisation, intensive agriculture, habitat degradation, as well as changes in land management, pollution and persecution. Ponds have been filled in and are not created and important retile breeding sites have been knowingly or unknowingly destroyed. Unusual mass mortalities of frogs have been reported and lizards can build up a high level of insecticides in their bodies which has a toxic effect, as well as depriving them of their insect prey.
More Information about some of Warwickshire's Amphibians and Reptiles
Local status and distribution
The Adder is rare in Warwickshire and only occurs at a few known sites in the county making up only 5% of the total reptile records. In Victorian times the Adder was described as not abundant in the county, being absent from alluvial areas and mainly found in sandy or stony places.
Description
The Adder is a small, stout snake with a distinctive continuous zigzag on the back. It has a well defined head compared to the grass snake and rarely grows longer than 65cm (2 feet). Body colour is variable, males are usually grey or buff with a black zigzag whereas females are brown with a dark brown zigzag. The Adder is the only native snake having elliptical, as opposed to round pupils. Occasionally black (melanistic) Adders are found but none have been reported in Warwickshire.
Ecology
The Adder is typically found in heathland and moorland but in Warwickshire it is associated with railway embankments, rough grassland and scrub. Male snakes are the first to come out of hibernation, females emerging a couple of weeks later. Mating takes place in April and early May and is often preceded by a ritualistic behaviour pattern by the males, who dance with each other in a trial of strength to gain access to the female who is often in the near vicinity. Female Adders do not breed every year because they need at least one intervening year to feed up and regain breeding condition. Once pregnant they cease to feed for the 3 to 4 month gestation period whilst the embryos develop inside the body. Six to twenty young are born alive, usually by the beginning of September.
The Adder is Britain's only venomous snake and uses venom for catching prey, usually small mammals and lizards. They are very timid animals and usually move away quickly when disturbed, but will bite in defence if trodden upon or handled. If bitten, medical assistance should be sought, but statistically one stands more chance of dying from a bee or wasp sting than an Adder bite.
Protection status
Some protection under the Berne Convention as to their exploitation.
Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 5. from trade, injury and killing.
The Common or Viviparous Lizard
Local status and distribution
The Common lizard has a limited distribution in Warwickshire and is absent
from many parts of the county. However it is Warwickshire's second most
common reptile accounting for 26% of the total reptile records. The Common
lizard was not abundant in Victorian times but the existence of several
colonies at the foot of Edgehill, a common near Claverdon and the stone
walls around the Priory in Warwick had been reported. It is interesting to
note that in the 1901 Victoria County History of Warwickshire it is stated
that the Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) had been observed at two places on the
Ridgeway near Alcester and that it was rare at these localities. Whether
these were genuine sightings or that Common lizards were mistaken for Sand
lizards cannot be confirmed but there are no later reports of Sand lizards
for the county.
Description
Common lizards can be mistaken for newts but are more alert and quick moving
if disturbed. They also have a dry scaly skin. Common lizards can reach a
length of 18cm (7 inches) but this is rare and most are much smaller. They
are variable in colour ranging from brown or yellow-brown to almost green.
These green Common lizards should not be confused with Sand lizards. Male
Common lizards often have darker backs with a broken striped pattern and a
variable number of pale dots edged with black called ocelli. They have
yellow or orange bellies which are spotted. with black markings. The female
is paler, with a few scattered ocelli and some females have a continuous
stripe along the centre of the back. The belly is pale yellow, usually
lacking spots. The most reliable method for distinguishing between the sexes
is to look for the swelling at the base of the tail in the male. Young
Common lizards are very dark coloured compared to the adults and have two
rows of pale spots down their back.
Ecology
The majority of sightings have been on grassland, hedgerows, woodland edges,
road and railway embankments. Common lizards emerge from hibernation
sometimes as early as mid- February if the weather is mild. Initially they
will spend long periods basking and they start to mate in April and May. The
males are territorial and compete for the females, fights being commonplace.
The eggs are retained in the body and 4-10 live young are born under cover,
in late July or August in a membranous sac. The young lizard ruptures the
membrane with a special egg-tooth and is independent of the mother. Common
lizards eat a variety of insect and other invertebrate species.
Protection status
Some protection under the Berne Convention as to their exploitation.
Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 5. from
trade, injury and killing.
Local status and distribution
The Grass snake is widespread throughout the county, with the exception of
north-west Warwickshire. It is the most common reptile species in the county
constituting 58% of the total reptile records for the county. Many of these
Grass snake records are chance encounters with fewer breeding sites recorded
and it is the only snake found in populated areas. In Victorian times it was
described as being a common and generally distributed species.
Description
The Grass snake is the largest native snake, the males reaching up to 90cm
(3 feet) in size. Mature females can be up to 150cm (5 feet) long, but it is
rare for females to reach this size. Colouration is variable and grass
snakes are usually a shade of olive green, but brown and grey snakes are not
uncommon. Their bodies bear fine black vertical bars and/or spots running
along their sides. It has a characteristic orange, yellow or white collar
round the neck.
Ecology
Grass snakes are found in a variety of habitats throughout the county but
they tend to prefer habitats associated with water where they feed on
amphibians and fish. Grass snakes start to emerge from hibernation in March
and April and mating soon occurs. The grass snake is the only native snake
to lay eggs. This takes place in June/July in piles of vegetation, manure
and compost heaps where the warmth from decomposition helps to incubate the
10 - 40 eggs laid. Often several females can share the same egg-laying site
and the young snakes hatch in August/September. Grass snakes are completely
harmless to humans, but if disturbed or handled can bite and exude a
nasty-smelling secretion from their anal gland.
Protection status
Some protection under the Berne Convention as to their exploitation.
Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 5. from
trade, injury and killing.