I went on an organised walk this morning run by KRAG and done a survey of a local woodland. In the Spring, tin and felt was strategically placed and today we looked under these sites as well as the local surroundings. It was a really good morning with a total of 9 Slow worms spotted (4 x adults, 1 x sub adult and 4 x babies). Unfortunately we didn't see any common lizards even though there have been reported sittings of them. However we did find a very small frog (I don't know what type) so that was pretty cool. We did manage to find 2 adders one under a piece of roofing felt (I think it was) and one basking in the open. Sadly the only decent photo I got of this animal is of it slivering away but I think I will be returning to the site to hopefully see this amazing animal again.

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Very dark!

Can't beat a day of sunny herping

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Regards James Stroud

It was very dark but would you class it as a melanistic?

I did get a photo of the other adder but it turned out unbelievably unfocused.

I have very little experience with the melanistic forms, so wouldn't know if there are various stages or it is a simple switch. That snake looks like it is still retaining some patternation, so may be different at a different angle? Looks pretty black to me though

Great find, I still haven't even seen a melanistic individual yet, would absolutely love to!

Happens all the bloody time to me!!

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Regards James Stroud