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.

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 / 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

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

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 / 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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

Pascal Pittorino / Smooth snake (Coronella Austriaca) cGrands Causses Regional Natural Park, , Lozere, France, April

Colin Varndell / Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) at Arne RSPB Reserve. Dorset, England, UK, July.