Slow Worm

 

Not the best photograph, but never mind. 

There was a hush of great excitement this afternoon when this beautiful Slow worm was seen draping herself over a large anthill in the long grass in our wild garden. 

We have seen Common lizards before on rare occasions and a single Grass snake last summer, but this was an exciting first for us. The black stripe over brown scales suggests a female. Slow worms are neither worms nor snakes; they are in fact legless lizards.

Like the Common lizard and the Grass snake, Slow worms are protected by law. We hope the visiting cats will avoid the anthills and long grass.