ADDERS IN THE FOREST

The April bat box checks in Thetford forest by the Suffolk Bat Group did not turn up many bats but it was a good day for reptiles. I found an adder’s slough mid morning and later spotted a baby adder on a grassy ride that kindly posed for photos. However everyone present was entranced when someone spotted two adders twisting and twining in the bracken. I was quickly summoned down from the top of a ladder to watch the spectacle. The snakes seemed oblivious to our presence. PICDESCRIBE The two black and grey males “danced”, their small heads and upper bodies held up in the air, often interlaced, trying to push each other to the ground. They did not seem to want to leave the area and when a brown and olive female was spotted lying in the bracken nearby, we knew why! This dancing display was over territory and the rivals battled it out for at least 5 minutes – long enough for some to fetch their cameras. All of a sudden, the smaller of the two slipped away into the bracken whilst the winner headed for the female. After this amazing interlude we had to return to our bat box checks.

That evening I read up on adders in my New Naturalist book of “British Amphibians and Reptiles”. The dance was for many years regarded as a form of courtship and not until it was realised that it was undertaken by two male adders was its significance understood. Rivalry between males during the mating season (April and early May) is understandably frequent but I don’t know how common it is to witness the dance. It’s certainly something that I will remember for a long time.

Sue Hooton

Editor’s note

The June 2004 edition of British Wildlife contains an article by Tony Phelps on the long- term study of British snakes. In the section on adders he says that all males are active during the mating season but owing to a well defined hierarchic structure as few as 30% of them mate successfully, although this is influenced by the size of the sub-population and the number of available females. He suggests that males are able to find females quickly not only by following pheromonal cues from the females but also because the males employ imprinting and learning processes including familiarity with the landscape.

Reference

Phelps, T 2004 Beyond hypothesis – a long-term study of British snakes. British Wildlife

15 323-324.

PRIZE FOR BEST SUBMISSION TO WHITE ADMIRAL

The £25 prize for the best article submitted by a member for newsletter number 57 was awarded to Russell Edwards for his fine article and photographs of the deer in Tattingstone.

The prize for the current issue is awarded to Sue Hooton for the article above: ‘Adders in the Forest’ .

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