Lots of creepy crawlies!!! That why we love the outdoors!!

But, Adders?!

Escape Goat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:02 pm But, Adders?!

They're more scared of you etc etc...

That may be the case. But



Lurking in the grass.....


All joking aside, I was happier knowing nothing about this I stumbled across it whilst trying to find parking for 2 days that won't cost a million quid.

Adders are surprisingly quite prolific around the UK. Like most wild animals,more afraid of us humans!

I am scared of snakes and once came across one on a road justsun bathing , Its sort of paid attention to us and then relcutantly and slowly sculked/slithered off back in to the grass.It was not at all terryfying and was more placid and ameniable than a cow.

I was thinking on using my tarp soon for a winter bivvy, this may scare me off to one of the art features raised off the ground!

Midge's .... they are the ones to worry about in kielder...munch any visible flesh!! Bivvied there in the 80's . My face had swollen so much I couldn't ge my motorcycle lid on for two days...learnt a valuable lesson!! (fat Face!)

Not an uncommon sight in Scotland. I have, on occasion, had to go looking for them when trying to establish whether or not there is a population in the area.

There's adders in my mum's garden, I'm more worried about slugs. Adders are scared of us, slugs don't seem as worried. I've never woken up with an adder on my face

sean_iow wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:31 pm There's adders in my mum's garden, I'm more worried about slugs. Adders are scared of us, slugs don't seem as worried. I've never woken up with an adder on my face

good point!! Hahaha

Cyclepeasant wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:27 pm Midge's .... they are the ones to worry about in kielder...munch any visible flesh!! Bivvied there in the 80's . My face had swollen so much I couldn't ge my motorcycle lid on for two days...learnt a valuable lesson!! (fat Face!)

Yeah they are actually buggers. I got eaten in September on the capital trail

ScotRoutes wrote: ↑Fri Feb 07, 2020 11:30 pm Not an uncommon sight in Scotland. I have, on occasion, had to go looking for them when trying to establish whether or not there is a population in the area.

That's a bit more reassuring, having to look for em. I didn't think twice when I was dragging my bike through the long grass to the bothy last year... I'll be more scared now ha

You'll occasionally see them lounging on a rock - or even a dry, stony path. They'll come out as soon as the day warms up and then take a bit of while to get their body temperature up to a working level. They can be pretty lazy at that time of day - less likely to just slither away as you approach.

Ah cool. Little less worried... Until I see one.

See Adders all the time on the trails in Swinley forest. As Scotroutes says they come out to warm up. They really are tiny and the chances are you have ridden past or over one and not noticed as quite well camoflaged. Quite cool when you do see one actually.

They are also more scared of you. The vibrations from walking or riding are normally enough for them to disappear. Their venom is very rarely fatal. Think last death was 30 years ago and more people die from wasp & bee stings?

(Seeing a black mamba cross the path in front of me when pedaling alongside the zambezi was a different story!)

Allen... I'd stop mtbing if I was you fella. Did I tell you about the day the slug tried to kiss me

I was gonna put a nursing article* (which I never read but thought it might come in useful some day) about 'Snake Venom and A guide for Emergency Nurses' but then thought against it in case anyone sensitive gets sensitised (would that be the same as 'upset' ... hmmm).

Anyway, like they said above... They're more scared of us than we them... Just don't try playfight with it or give it a cuddle (apparently owners get bit occassionally during feeding time and 1 in 4 bites are only 'dry** bites').

Let me know and I'll whack up that article (from a mag called Emergency Nurse but can't remember how I ended up with it).

*Taken the pictures of it and everything but then slwoed down before putting it up in case I made a scene

** Does that mean they're friendly bites and just a playful nibble!!

I love these guys! They totally look like a proper poisonous snake. Nice mean looking jaw and 'don't f*CK with me eyes'.

Only ever seen one in the UK but seen loads in France. We had one lived by the house in the Ardeche which we'd walk over and show visitors.

When we lived in Malawi we had Black and Green Mambas, Boomslangs and Cobras - those were fun to come across on your way to the loo or in your grass hut when going to bed I tell thee!

Did you see the bit about warm and sunny...? Have you seen the weather?!

wriggles wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 1:04 am Think last death was 30 years ago and more people die from wasp & bee stings?

(Seeing a black mamba cross the path in front of me when pedaling alongside the zambezi was a different story!)

Australia - famous for its collection of lethally venomous creatures - records it’s highest deaths from animals as 1) Wasps 2) Horses 3) Cows.

lune ranger wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 8:30 am

wriggles wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2020 1:04 am Think last death was 30 years ago and more people die from wasp & bee stings?

(Seeing a black mamba cross the path in front of me when pedaling alongside the zambezi was a different story!)

Australia - famous for its collection of lethally venomous creatures - records it’s highest deaths from animals as 1) Wasps 2) Horses 3) Cows.

That's the difference between perception of risk and actual risk. On average each year in America 100 people die whilst shovelling snow, 50 people die due to being struck by lightning and 2 die from terrorist attacks. Guess which one sees most government and public attention?

Cows? errm <whisper>Karl?</whisper>

[url]https://www.instagram.com/p/BYgumZQFd-j ... _sheet/url]
hoping the video works. i nearly ran this wee guy over on the cycle path near dalwhinnie.

You've got to watch them, they will have your arm off as soon as look at you!
I have to confess that I have twice run over adders (both times on the Gaik to Glen Tromie trail). Both looked like a bit of string on the trail until they moved just as I approached. A lightening fast bunny hop in both cases saved the day, but they looked a bit aggrieved afterwards....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Gh-GH8Miw

I've seen a few over Cannock chase in the summer time sunning them self on the fire roads

I came across this chap last summer. Biggest grass snake I've ever seen. For reference each of the stones in the wall are about 5 feet high.

A Cairngorms Adder, probably about 18 inches long and about 1 inch in diameter.