Slow Worm

Anguis fragili

These legless lizards are gardeners’ best friends, consuming vast quantities of slugs, snails, and other soft-bodied pests that damage flowers. Despite their snake-like appearance, they’re actually lizards that can shed their tails when threatened. Look for them under logs, stones, or compost heaps during warm summer days. They can live for over 50 years and are completely harmless to humans. Slow worms are pregnant for about five months and give birth to live young rather than laying eggs, making them quite unusual among reptiles.