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Natrix natrix

Grass snake

Habitus (CC BY 3.0) H. Krisp

Short Description

Grass snakes are blue-grey to greenish-grey with a dark angular pattern of patches on the underside. Their pupils are round. At the back of the head are two distinctive yellow crescents, mostly delineated by black patches.

These yellow crescents are particularly pronounced in juveniles.

Features

Grass snake

Natrix natrix

  • paired yellow crescent patches on the back of the head

  • rectangular black and white markings on the underside

Similar species

Tessellated water snake

Natrix tessellata
It is much rarer. It has no moon-shaped, bright spots on the back of its head.
Habitus (CC BY-SA 3.0) Marek Szczepanek

In the city

In addition to aquatic habitats such as streams, canals and quarries, grass snakes also inhabit habitats away from water such as damp meadows, gardens and sparse deciduous forests. They prefer to alternate between dry, sunny and shaded sites with moist soils, both with good hiding places.

Contact with humans generally triggers flight behaviour. In defence, grass snakes secrete a foul-smelling yellowish liquid or pretend to be dead.

Fun Facts

  • In the mating season, in the fight for a female, mating balls can develop consisting of up to 20 males and one female.

  • Grass snakes always swallow their prey alive.

  • They feed mainly on amphibians and their young.

  • All European reptiles are specially protected and must not be captured, injured or killed.

  • Endangerment level Germany: not evaluated

  • The grass snake used to be considered a lucky charm for house and farm. It was said to be able to keep diseases out of the stable and thus ensure milk production.

  • The Latin name "natrix" means "water snake".

  • Grass snakes are not venomous to humans.

Sources

Habitus , H. Krisp, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ringelnatter_Natrix_natrix.jpg

Habitus , Marek Szczepanek, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Natrix_natrix_(Marek_Szczepanek).jpg

NABU – Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. (n.d.) Scheue Froschjägerin. Aus dem Leben der Ringelnatter, URL: https://www.nabu.de/tiere-und-pflanzen/amphibien-und-reptilien/reptilien/04985.html (Accessed: 11.08.2016).

Kwet, A. (2015) Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. 250 Arten mit Verbreitungskarten, Stuttgart: Franckh Kosmos Verlag.

Blab, J. & Vogel, H. (2002) Amphibien und Reptilien erkennen und schützen, München: BLV.

Glandt, D. (2015) Die Amphibien und Reptilien Europas, Wiebelsheim: Quelle & Meyer Verlag.

Kühnel, K.-D., Scharon, J., Kitzmann, B. & Schonert, B. (2017) Rote Liste und Gesamtartenliste der Kriechtiere (Reptilia) von Berlin. : Der Landesbeauftragte für Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege / Senatsverwaltung für Umwelt, Verkehr und Klimaschutz (eds.) Rote Listen der gefährdeten Pflanzen und Tiere von Berlin, URL: https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/natur-und-gruen/naturschutz/artenschutz/artenlisten-rote-listen/reptilien/ (Accessed: 16.04.2021).