The Grass Snake is the largest of the three snakes found in England. The other two snakes are the Adder and the Smooth Snake. It can be found throughout the country in marshes, fens, bogs and also in woodlands and meadows that have water nearby. It is sometimes known as the Water Snake because it spends a lot of time in water.

The Grass Snake is about one metre in length and usually has a green coloured body with small black markings running down the length of it. It is also called the Ringed Snake because it has a yellow band behind its head. The yellow band can be seen quite clearly when the Grass Snake is in water.

Grass Snakes are very secretive reptiles that often dive under water and hide between water weeds if they get disturbed. Like other reptiles, they are cold-blooded which means they need the heat of the sun to make them more active. Grass Snakes also hibernate and often shed their skins soon after they have emerged from hibernation. These skins can sometimes be found on country walks.