Who owns Hartlebury Common?

Worcestershire County Council
Hartlebury Common is one of Worcestershire’s most important nature reserves and is owned and managed by Worcestershire County Council.

Why is Hartlebury Common Sandy?

The majority of the Common is underlain by loose, beach-like sand. The sand is believed to have formed as Britain was coming out of the last ice age (beginning around 10,000 years ago) during a cold tundra period (ice desert).

How big is Hartlebury Common?

229 acres
Hartlebury Common and Hillditch Coppice are a biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest which covers an area of 90.2 hectares (229 acres). The common supports many varieties of wild plants and insects, especially butterflies and moths.

Are there adders on Hartlebury Common?

Adders, grass snakes, and common lizards can be found here, if you look carefully. The common is under tremendous pressure from a huge number of people who use this space for recreational purposes.

Are there adders in Worcestershire?

The adder is Europe’s most widespread snake species but one of only three that occurs naturally in the UK. Whilst widespread and locally common in some areas its distribution is scattered and declining in Worcestershire.

Can adders swim?

Females are often bigger than males. They are very common throughout England and Wales and are usually found in lowland areas near water, in grasslands and in woodland. They are swimmers, and can often be spotted swimming in rivers and ponds.

Do adders sleep?

Adders hibernate through the coldest part of the year. From around October to March they sleep in sheltered, dry spots such as old rodent burrows or within fallen trees.

Do adders make a noise?

Abstract. Puff adders (Bitis arietans), like many other snakes, hiss as part of their defensive repertoire.

Are adders deaf?

Usually adders know when you are coming. They are deaf, but they can feel the vibrations of footsteps through the ground.

Do adders come out in the rain?

If it’s very cold, or dark, or raining heavily, the snakes will not venture out. If it’s hot, they will have little need to bask and they will be too quick to see.

Are adder snakes deaf?

As an interesting aside, these snakes can’t hear sounds. That’s right, the death adder is deaf. Indeed, many people think that the snake’s common name is simply a misunderstanding of the original name, which may have been “deaf adder.”

Where do adders nest?

Adders like open habitats such as heathland, moorland, open woodland and sea cliffs, typically on free-draining soils such as chalk or sand. In most of their range adders rarely enter gardens.