female smooth snakes overwintering when gravid

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   I'd agree, and given the late start to the season, I'd also suggest more evidence that young are being carried over this year in slowworms as well as adder and smooth snake.  Unfortunately this obscures my original question as to whether this phenomenon is a natural part of the breeding cycle rather than simply a rare response to an unusually poor summer.  As always, more data required!

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will Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830	Post Options Post Reply Quote will Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 May 2013 at 4:20pm
	I'd agree, and given the late start to the season, I'd also suggest more evidence that young are being carried over this year in slowworms as well as adder and smooth snake. Unfortunately this obscures my original question as to whether this phenomenon is a natural part of the breeding cycle rather than simply a rare response to an unusually poor summer. As always, more data required!

will Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830	Post Options Post Reply Quote will Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2017 at 7:05pm
	quick update - I finally managed to get a sample of three smooth snakes examined by an expert vet yesterday which all appeared gravid to me, and he was able to confirm that they had reasonably advanced young inside already. So this would seem to show that smooth snakes are not only capable of carrying their young over winter but also that this is a reasonably common thing, rather than a one-off due to an individual snake being in poor condition or an unusually cool summer in the previous year. More data needed, but it's a start. Next question, are these embryos the result of mating last spring, or, as has been recorded recently, autumnal matings...?

will Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830	Post Options Post Reply Quote will Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2017 at 7:08pm
	...I should have added that he used ultrasound to visualise the embryos.

AGILIS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689	Post Options Post Reply Quote AGILIS Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 May 2017 at 6:21am
	Hi Will glad to see your getting about what area was you near haven't managed getting to any of my favourite spots lately getting twitchy since getting rid of my caravan keith
	LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID

will Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830	Post Options Post Reply Quote will Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 May 2017 at 6:27am
	Morning Keith! usual spots within sight of Corfe Castle, my favourite place on earth

AGILIS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689	Post Options Post Reply Quote AGILIS Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 May 2017 at 5:37am
	Wil oh for a breath of sweet gorse scented air before the holiday season starts in the area Keith
	LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID

will Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830	Post Options Post Reply Quote will Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 May 2017 at 6:38am
	Very poetic Keith, well put. Shame there's already some kind of pop festival in the field opposite Hartland Moor on Soldiers Road at the moment - one discarded cigarette and the whole NNR goes up in smoke...

AGILIS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689	Post Options Post Reply Quote AGILIS Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 May 2017 at 6:49pm
	Why the effing hell do they have to do this stuff next to a sensitive place beggars belief
	LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID