Colour: Typically green, brown or greyish in colour with fine black vertical bars and/or spots running down both sides. Grass snakes can be recognised by an orange or white collar behind the head. Colouration and markings are variable, some grass snakes lack a collar and others are darker with no obvious markings.
Diet: Toads, frogs, newts and small fish.
Distribution: More common in the south of England and Wales, becoming rarer further north and almost non-existent in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Where to look: Open grassland, compost heaps in gardens, alongside rivers, lakes, ponds and streams.
Notes: Grass snakes are very good swimmers and often hunt in the water. When disturbed, grass snakes will sometimes 'play dead' by lying upside down and sticking their tongues out. They may also produce a nasty smelling fluid to discourage their attacker from coming too close.
