Snake ID help (1 Viewer)

[Deborah1]

Hello. I came across this snake on acid heathland yesterday (I am in Brittany NW France).

My immediate thought was that it was Adder, but have seen that there is Smooth Snake which it also resembles?

Although one photo of the body markings is good, the one with the head is pretty bad as it was moving away from me quickly!

Any thoughts/ help appreciated.

 

[vipersgarden]

Hello! This is definitely an adder, Vipera berus

 

[Deborah1]

Hello! This is definitely an adder, Vipera berus

Brilliant! Thank you.

 

[Sangahyando]

Hello. I came across this snake on acid heathland yesterday (I am in Brittany NW France).

My immediate thought was that it was Adder, but have seen that there is Smooth Snake which it also resembles?

Although one photo of the body markings is good, the one with the head is pretty bad as it was moving away from me quickly!

Any thoughts/ help appreciated.

Smooth Snake has a more oval-shaped head (as opposed to the triangular head of Adders, well visible in your picture) and the back pattern tends to be different (somewhat resembling that of an Asp). AFAIK the unbroken zig-zag pattern on the back is pretty unique to Adder in the region.