Snake question

[Padfield]

This is very off-topic, and I'm sorry, but while butterfly-watching on Saturday (on topic?) I nearly trod on this huge snake, over a metre long, and I can't find any way of identifying it. It doesn't fit the illustrations in the general books I have here. Since you're my natural history community, I wondered if anyone among you knew what it was, or where to start (which group of snakes). It doesn't look like a grass snake.



It was near water in the Rhône Valley of Switzerland.

To make the post a bit more butterfly (moth) related, I also nearly trod on this 'snake'. No prizes for saying what this is!



Guy

[Padfield]

I've since found the French snake equivalent of UK Butterflies so I've made a post there:

http://serpentsdefrance.free.fr/forum/v ... ?f=1&t=826

Apologies again for an irrelevant question!

Guy

[Paul]

OK.. haven't looked at the site but my old book seems to suggest an Aesculapian snake... what conclusion did you come to?

[Padfield]

Well done, Paul - that was what the French group said too! A couleuvre d'esculape, to use their exact words.

Guy

[Martin]

That's the first time I've ever seen Pine Prosessionary Moths...fascinating!

Martin.