The Boys (and Girls )are back in town
By sussexsarah
14 comments
Yesterday I was lolling around on the grass as you do when you are not meant to be walking and thought – well I may as well check on the slow worms and see if they are a permanent fixture.
When I pulled back the step there were tons of them so I got completely over excited hollering at the kids to go to get the camera. By the time the army had arrived the war was over and the slow worms had all decamped back underground.
So today I thought I would be a little more canny and was stood there with the camera already focused when I pulled the step back.
Aren’t they fab!
I think there are around 10 of them. What surprises me most is not the differences in the shape of the tail and overall length because I knew that some slow worms lose their tails and cope without one. No the big difference is the colouring, some are a lovely coppery brown with quite a noticeable black streaky bit down the sides, whilst others are almost grey.
So I checked it out: your basic boy slow worm is the grey fella whilst his missus is the one with the cheap fake tan. Some also have blue spots (yes really), but I dont think any of these qualify.
There now almost all gone – not slow at all. That’s because the name means slay worms from their carniverous nature.
I’m really happy with their anti-slug patrole – my delphinium appears to be coping which has to be good. The trick to encouraging them is to give them somewhere hot to bathe under (black plastic is good) and some light soil to build a burrow in – both of which I guess are provided by a dodgy concrete step with degrade mortar! Naturally they also need somewhere to hide – but then who doesn’t?
20 Apr, 2010
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Comments
Oh dear Stripes - never mind, your feline friend will make sure that you don't get slow worms - they think of them as snacks in between meals.
20 Apr, 2010
Oh wow - really impressed - I love slow worms - we used to have a field next to our estate which they then built a hospital and all the slow worms just went (or were killed :-(() but have seen a couple in my garden and thought they were lovely - they do a good job and you seem to be providing the right accommodation for them!! 4 star at least I would say!!!
20 Apr, 2010
wow so many of them as well...... how nice to find them....
20 Apr, 2010
Lucky you Sarah ... I've never seen a live one !
20 Apr, 2010
Interesting Sarah, anything that eats S&S's is ok by me. Never seen one here though. Do they eat ordinary worms?
20 Apr, 2010
They are lovely, i love slow worms, i found a baby one at the allotment,just last week, it was 3inchs long, top was shiny black and under his belly aws a creamy colour, i picked it up because i was digging, and i but it in the shade, my grandaugher whos 7yrs old, was screaming like a bandji, lol..and i was only moveing it.:o)))
20 Apr, 2010
@ Heron - Sadly I think that they do eat worms - but of course they also burrow through the earth so they have good drainage properties too!
@ Pepperpot - I love the little ones but they are so! silly. They stick their heads up each time I mow. I must try to find out when they tend to be in bed and do the mowing then (if ever - am still thinking about guinea-pigs!)
20 Apr, 2010
The are stunning lizards arent they. I am so envious. I have log piles and all sorts in the hopes of encouraging them. no luck yet.
20 Apr, 2010
they look ok and do a good job with the slugs but i think if i saw one in my garden it would be me moving fast !! ..... indoors..!
20 Apr, 2010
@ Viv - no dont feel like that - you can pick them up and cuddle them - they are no more dangerous than a butterfly.
20 Apr, 2010
i believe you sarah but just the first photo makes me shudder !
20 Apr, 2010
I never thought there' d be so many together in one place. Nice you've found them. I think they're quite ugly lol - sorry :o)
20 Apr, 2010
They're fascinating Sarah, I've never had any in my gardens. How do you manage with mowing, I have to check for frogs before I start :-)))
21 Apr, 2010
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22 Mar, 2010
I'm glad it's your garden and not mine, because I'm not a lover of snakes or anything that reasonable them. Strange how there different colours, brilliant pic all the same .....
20 Apr, 2010