The adder is a venomous snake belonging to the viper family.
Its wide range throughout the Old World extends east to the Pacific Ocean and North to the Arctic Circle, the farthest north of any venomous snake.
It is the only venomous snake native to Britain.
In Britain they are most commonly seen on road and rail embankments.
The common adder seldom grows longer than 61 cm (24 in) and lives up to 15 years.
It has a thick body and a triangular head.
Its color varies from gray, green, or brown to velvety black and, on all but the darkest skin, a distinctive series of zigzag black marks may be seen running down its back.
Adder diet includes rodents, frogs and newts, but they are threatened by birds of prey.
The adder is a shy animal and not naturally aggressive. Adders will use their venom only as a last means of defence, usually if caught or trodden on.
Most bites to humans have little or no venom injected. Around 100 people are bitten by adders each year but there have been just 14 deaths in the last century.
If someone is bitten, medical experts advice calling an ambulance immediately – although the venom is rarely fatal. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, painful swelling of the lips and tongue and respiratory trouble.
Attempting to suck out the poison is not advised.
Other vipers in the same genus with the common adder are also referred to as adders. They range from the Orsini viper of Europe, which lives largely on insects and appears to use its venom rarely, even when handled; to the daboia, or Russell’s viper, of southeastern Asia, which has probably caused more human fatalities than any other species of viper.
Sources Daily Mail, Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia
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Its wide range throughout the Old World extends east to the Pacific Ocean and North to the Arctic Circle, the farthest north of any venomous snake.
It is the only venomous snake native to Britain.
In Britain they are most commonly seen on road and rail embankments.
The common adder seldom grows longer than 61 cm (24 in) and lives up to 15 years.
It has a thick body and a triangular head.
Its color varies from gray, green, or brown to velvety black and, on all but the darkest skin, a distinctive series of zigzag black marks may be seen running down its back.
 |
| Pixiebay |
Adder diet includes rodents, frogs and newts, but they are threatened by birds of prey.
The adder is a shy animal and not naturally aggressive. Adders will use their venom only as a last means of defence, usually if caught or trodden on.
Most bites to humans have little or no venom injected. Around 100 people are bitten by adders each year but there have been just 14 deaths in the last century.
If someone is bitten, medical experts advice calling an ambulance immediately – although the venom is rarely fatal. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, painful swelling of the lips and tongue and respiratory trouble.
Attempting to suck out the poison is not advised.
Other vipers in the same genus with the common adder are also referred to as adders. They range from the Orsini viper of Europe, which lives largely on insects and appears to use its venom rarely, even when handled; to the daboia, or Russell’s viper, of southeastern Asia, which has probably caused more human fatalities than any other species of viper.
Sources Daily Mail, Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia
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