A slow worm has an interesting name and is also an interesting creature. It is not a worm or a snake although it does look like a snake it is actually a lizard and is quite harmless.
They eat slugs so are very good for gardeners if you can attract them into your garden. They can live for 50 years in zoos but are unlikely to live this long in the countryside because they have a lot of animals and birds that like to eat them and they have little defence against such attacks.
They are mostly seen in the spring and summer months because they like the sunshine and find nooks and hidden places to bask in it. Slow worms are rarely seen during the winter months because they do not like the cold and find holes in the ground either natural or made by other animals to dwell in until the weather get warmer and they take a chance on going out again.
They mate in the spring when the males can become quite aggressive towards each other and have as many as 6 young slow worms.
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