Description
A legless lizard with a stout body short neck and rounded head. Females can reach 50 cm though usually shorter. The tail being longer than the body if intact. Young are strikingly coloured golden with distinct dark flanks and thin vertebral stripe. The females often retain these markings as they age where as the males lose them to become more uniform in colour. Adults vary from coppery brown, beige or reddish in colour. Like all lizards they can blink. Snakes can not.
Distribution
Widespread across the UK and Europe. Common in the region though little is known due to their shy reclusive nature and fossorial habits.
Habits
A fossorial reptile often found under discarded objects such as boards, metal sheets or black plastic bags. Anything that will warm up in the sun. Mainly crepuscular in habit. An active hunter. Courtship and breeding take place in April with live young being born in August to September depending on conditions.
Habitat
Found in dunes and cliffs along coastal areas as well as lightly wooded places such as young plantations. In the uplands of Weardale and Teesdale they can be found in farmland, heaths moors, woodland and forest plantations. Also found in gardens in rural and suburban locations.
Diet
Predominantly slugs, worms and other invertebrates. Always good to have in an allotments or garden for slug control.
Slow Worm Sightings
