Found an adder 🐍 in the garden today

[QOD]

And now I have to burn the house down ...

Seriously though, I can’t find photos online or an adders nest to make sure I recognise one should I see it.

The snake was basking in hot plastic 😭

Christ alive, they're clearly not as scarce as their protected status would have us all believe!

Where do you lot live, that you keep seeing them? Please say it's nowhere near SW London!

I've only ever seen a dead one, that I had to heave, maggots and all, out of my dog's mouth when walking in the woods as a teenager. The smell haunted my nostrils for days.

I knew I became a townie for a reason.

Essex Marshes.

Not far from where I grew up, Fin. I do believe they are fairly common in parts of Essex .

That's a beauty!

@sackrifice 😂 meanie.

I was in a complete panic like a complete fool. Ridiculous I know ... I’m allergic to bees and wasps stings (not anaphylaxis level thankfully) and found out last week that the small holding next to us lets out an area to a bee keeper. I’ve been dead calm about that as I love bees. But they swarmed yesterday!! So I’ve been a tad on edge. And ya know, teeny tiny 6lb chihuahua

@Still18atheart my parents used to say we had adders in a remote part of the garden when we were children and I only recently found out it wasn't true, there were just deep holes (old mines) in the ground they worried we might fall into so they made the adders up. Maybe the same with you?

@Tolleshunt me too re hoping they're not in SW London! Urgh the horror!

Oh, they are beautiful! We had a grass snake in our pond last year and I was so chuffed!!

Adders will try their best to stay away from people. They really don’t want to sting you.

What I find shocking is how lovely some posters appear to think this is!

OP, I would have had a reactinon similar to yours and would probably now be staying in a hotel! I am truly terrified of snakes.

Not sting - bite!

I would genuinely love to see an adder in my garden! To the poster asking about adders in the NE - my one and only ever adder sighting was just south of Berwick upon Tweed...

I always wonder worry about Richmond Park and Wimbledon Common, Ivegotthree...... you don't catch me in the long grass!!

That's pretty far north, norks, I thought they were really only found in the south

thanks norks - off to burn house and move to island of Guadalupe

If you ever see squares of corrugated iron on heathy areas of Norfolk, Dorset etc, do not pick them up. People researching adder numbers leave corrugated material for them to lie under and soak up the warmth, and know where to find them.

Quite widespread in Scotland apparently (apologies to all snake fearing Scottish Mumsnetters!)

Yes they are found in Northumberland. I think they like the heather on the moors.

They do nest I think. I have heard there are adder nests on the moorland where I live (not too far from Berwick upon tweed)

They aren’t aggressive. Only if you stand on them!

I get many grass snakes. I live only a mile from a large town centre and on a housing estate but my garden backs onto woodland.

BIL saw an adder once while walking his dog with dniece. She wanted to see it close up and because he'd owned corn snakes before thought he was the new Steve Irwin 🤦‍♀️ Short hospital stay and hand blown up like a balloon gave him time to reflect on how bloody stupid that was!!

Fantastic! I live in one of the areas where adders are supposedly most commonly found m in the UK but I have never seen one.

I find it odd how so many people are terrified of snakes in the U.K. they are incredible animals and not really dangerous. I wouldn’t go out of my way to annoy one though.

Wow, you are lucky to see it. They do live in gardens occasionally as compost heaps are perfect for them. The most common county in the country for adders is apparently Worcestershire.

One of our dogs (young, strong, healthy) died from an adder bite during a walk in the highlands several years ago, it was devastating.

So be very careful, especially if you have pets.

Hi people with snakes in gardens! You're officially rare ; UK adder population is in decline so they are a protected species. Please do your citizen science bit for nature and record your sightings on the ARG website (Amphibian and Reptile Group ). It will be appreciated 😆www.arguk.org/

Move. Move back to town.

I am joking . Full of adderation.