David Kjaer / Snowdrops {Galanthus nivalis} and Scarlet elf cup fungus {Sarcoscypha austriaca} in woodland, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snakes mating, Dorset UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake giving birth, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snakes mating, Dorset, UK

Fabio Pupin / Smooth snake, (Coronella austriaca), Tuscany, Italy, June . Non-ex.

Fabio Pupin / Smooth snake, (Coronella austriaca), Italy, August . Non-ex.

Adrian Davies / Scarlet elf cup fungi (Sarcoscypha austriaca). Surrey, England, UK. April.

Adrian Davies / Scarlet elf cup fungi (Sarcoscypha austriaca). Surrey, England, UK. April.

Ernie Janes / Garden Rose (Rosa gallica) 'Complicata' and garden water barrel England, UK.

Rod Williams / Hoverfly (Pipiza austriaca) Brockley Cemetery, Lewisham, London, England, UK, May.

Chris Mattison / Scarlet elf cup (Sarcoscypha austrica) Tintern, Wye Valley, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. February.

Chris Mattison / Scarlet elf cup (Sarcoscypha austrica), Tintern, Wye Valley, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK, February.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), Staudernheim, Germany. Meetyourneighbours.net project.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), Staudernheim, Germany. Meetyourneighbours.net project.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), Staudernheim, Pfalz, Germany. September. Meetyourneighbours.net project

Andy Sands / Scarlet Elfcup (Sarcoscypha austriaca) a winter fungi that appears on dead twigs in damp shady places often partially buried in moss, Bedfordshire, England, UK, January . Focus stacked image

Andy Sands / Scarlet Elfcup (Sarcoscypha austriaca) a winter fungi that appears on dead twigs in damp shady places often partially buried in moss, Bedfordshire, England, UK, January . Focus stacked image

Andy Sands / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) close up of head, Surrey, England, UK, August

Andy Sands / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) coiled on ground, Surrey, England, UK, August

Andy Sands / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) basking on bare ground, Surrey, England, UK, August

Simon Colmer / Cornfield annual wildflower seed mix including Corn cockle (Agrostemma githago), Corn chamomile (Anthemis austriaca), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), Corn marigold (Glebionis / Chrysanthemum segetum) a...

Ernie Janes / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) Hartland Moor, Dorset, England, UK. August.

Ernie Janes / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) Hartland Moor, Dorset, England, UK. August.

Daniel Heuclin / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) feeding on a wall lizard. West France, April.

Daniel Heuclin / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) feeding on a wall lizard. West France, April.

Daniel Heuclin / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) feeding on a wall lizard. West France, April.

Daniel Heuclin / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) feeding on a wall lizard. West France, April.

Bert Willaert / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), Italy, April.

Bert Willaert / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), Italy, April.

Bert Willaert / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), Italy, April.

Bert Willaert / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), Italy, April.

Zoltan Nagy / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) with ant on head, Gurghiu Mountains, Romania. April

Martin Gabriel / Snake slough, skin shed by Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca), Bavaria, Germany, August

Stephen Dalton / Gallic rose (Rosa gallica) Sussex, England, UK, August.

Colin Varndell / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) photographed at Arne RSPB reserve under the warden's handling and photography licence, Dorset, UK. July

Colin Varndell / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) photographed at Arne RSPB reserve under the warden's handling and photography licence, Dorset, UK. July

MYN / Marko Masterl / Scorzonera austriaca (Scorzonera austriaca) in flower, Slovenia, Europe, May Meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Marko Masterl / Alpine Clematis (Clematis alpina) in flower, Slovenia, Europe, June Meetyourneighbours.net project

David Woodfall / Sessile Oak (Quercus Petraea) ancient tree trunk with Broad buckler fern (Dryopteris austriaca) at base, Gilfach Nature Reserve, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, Powys, Wales, UK, May

MYN / Denis Palanque / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) grassland, Optevoz, Isere, Rhones-Alpes, France, April. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Denis Palanque / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) grassland, Optevoz, Isere, Rhones-Alpes, France, April. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Denis Palanque / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) grassland, Optevoz, Isere, Rhones-Alpes, France, April. meetyourneighbours.net project

Ernie Janes / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) on heathland, Hartland Moor, Dorset, UK, August

Ernie Janes / Handling a Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) Hartland Moor, Dorset, UK

Daniel Heuclin / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) at rest by stone and bracken frond. France, Europe. Controlled conditions.

Daniel Heuclin / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) at rest by stone and bracken frond, France, Europe. Controlled conditions.

Daniel Heuclin / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) basking, at rest on stone bank, France, Europe. Controlled conditions.

Daniel Heuclin / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) head portrait, France, Europe. Controlled conditions.

Ross Hoddinott / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) coiled up resting on heathland, Studland, Dorset, England, UK. April 2010.

Stephen Dalton / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) England, UK.

Jean E. Roche / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} Camargue, france

Ross Hoddinott / Scarlet Cup {Sarcoscypha austriaca} fungi growing on fallen branch, Cornwall, UK. November.

Robert Thompson / Orchid {Gymnadenia austriaca} Lago di Limo, Dolomites, Italy. July

David Tipling / Smooth Snake {Coronella austriaca} basking on rock, Dorset, UK

David Tipling / Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca} on heathland, Dorset, UK

Michael Hutchinson / Scarlet elf cup fungus (Sarcoscypha austriaca / coccinea), Bristol, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} newborn in birth sac, Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} female with newborn young, Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} giving birth, Purbeck, Dorset, UK

David Kjaer / Smooth Snake {Coronella austriaca} close-up of skin, Dorset, England.

Philippe Clement / Grasshopper perching on Black vanilla orchid {Gymnadenia nigra austriaca} Gran Paradiso NP, Italy

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) seizes young Adder (Vipera berus) Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snakes mating {Coronella austriaca} Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Gravid female Smooth snake basking {Coronella austriaca} Dorset, England, UK

Tony Phelps / Shed skin of Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake males fighting {Coronella austriaca} Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} eating Viviparous lizard {Lacerta vivipara} UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} eating Viviparous lizard {Lacerta vivipara} UK

Andy Sands / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} alert whilst basking on log, Sussex, UK.

Andy Sands / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} basking on log, Sussex, UK.

Andy Sands / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} on log poised to strike, Sussex, UK.

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) (on right) and Adder (Vipera berus) basking in sun, Dorset, UK

Andy Sands / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} in resting on a log. Captive. UK.

Philippe Clement / Black vanilla orchid {Gymnadenia nigra austriaca} Gran Paradiso NP, Italy

Michael Hutchinson / Scarlet elf cup fungus {Sarcoscypha austriaca / coccinea} Wilts, UK.

Michael Hutchinson / Scarlet elf cup fungus on mossy bank {Sarcoscypha austriaca / coccinea} UK.

Flip de Nooyer / Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca) portrait, rare in the United Kingdom

George McCarthy / Smooth snake on log {Coronella austriaca} Sussex, UK

George McCarthy / Smooth snake {Coronella austriaca} Sussex, UK

George McCarthy / Smooth snake, Sussex, England, UK, Europe.

David Kjaer / Snowdrops {Galanthus nivalis} and Scarlet elf cup fungus {Sarcoscypha austriaca} UK Wiltshire England winter

Tony Phelps / Newborn Smooth snake in membrane, Dorset UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake male, Purbeck, Dorset UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake female on heathland, Purbeck, Dorset UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snakes, adults fighting {Coronella austriaca} Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake, Purbeck, Dorset UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake female with babies, Dorset UK

Robin Chittenden / German gentians (Gentianella austriaca) in flower, Austria, September

Fabio Liverani / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) coiled on rock, Grigne Mountain, Lombardia Region, Italy

Fabio Liverani / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) coiled on rock, Grigne Mountain, Lombardia Region, Italy

Fabio Liverani / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) coiled on rock, Grigne Mountain, Lombardia Region, Italy

Dietmar Nill / Smooth snake climbing in tree {Coronella austriaca} Bulgaria

Robert Thompson / Scarlet elfcup mushrooms (Sarcoscypha austriaca var. austriaca) growing on moss, Clare Glen, Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK. December.

Robert Thompson / Scarlet elfcup mushrooms (Sarcoscypha austriaca var. austriaca) growing on moss-covered branch, Clare Glen, Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK. December.

Nick Upton / Big-thighed pipiza hoverfly (Pipiza austriaca) nectaring on Spurge (Euphorbia sp.) flowers in garden, Wiltshire, UK. June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Austrian yellow-cress (Rorippa austriaca) in flower close to water, Rieti, Umbria, Italy. May.