Adders now active

Spring is here and with it comes adders waking from hibernation. Several have been spotted by visitors in the past couple of weeks.

They spend most of their time hiding peacefully in long grass and patches of gorse, but as you can see from this picture, they have excellent camouflage. They only bite if they feel threatened.

Image credit: Giles Alder

If you are visiting please be wary of where you and your dogs are treading. Unfortunately, dogs do get bitten on Cleeve Common every year. Bites are rarely fatal but obviously best if avoided, especially at the moment when many vets are running a reduced service.

Adders are protected species, and we are very proud to have a stronghold on Cleeve Common. Moving on quietly if you spot one is the best thing to do.

If you spot one please let us know where by recording it here

For more information on adders and their bites please visit the ARC Trust website