Vipera berus in northern Black Forest (Germany)

[Heiko Wehner]

Imagine how fast a thin black metal sheet heated up compared to a white 25kg stone.
and imagine how long they could store the energy.

Thanks for the lecture

But (again, maybe I didn't make myself clear enough): if the hideouts from different materials would give comparable hideouts, so that only the material would make the difference, not the climate given in the hideout: would they prefer one material over another?
I can't imagine that, and that's why I don't see why V. berus shouldn't hide under stones if the microclima under there fits them.

Regards,

Heiko

[Daniel Bohle]

the material make the climate
go out in winter and lay down naked on a stone and then on a piece of plastic.
see the difference ;-D

also wet wood makes a different climate than a thin layer of plastic

[Heiko Wehner]

I was speaking theoretical. Didn't it come through?

I will use an if-sentence now, as a sort of last try

IF various hideouts from different materials WOULD provide the same climate, WOULD the snake prefer one over another? My guess is no.

So: IF a rock should provide matching climate for V. berus, wouldn't it hide there just because it's a stone?
Are so few V. berus found under stones because a)they don't like stones or b)because in their habitats it's not frequent that stones occur as hiding spaces. My guess is b.

Which leads me to the conclusion: they can be found under rocks, but it's not the norm, but rather the exception.

Regards,

Heiko

[Bastien Comment]

Nice Berus!

I've found a juvenile Vipera berus under a stone earlier this year but I must admit that I have way less experience with berus than with aspis.

[Heiko Wehner]

Hi,

I'm afraid you got me wrong there, or I got you wrong.
I'd never doubt that you (and propably almost everybody here) are more experienced than I am.
Your posts left the impression that the chances of finding a berus under rocks tend to zero, and I simply don't understand that, since in the habitat I saw some rocky hideouts that seemed promising.

Regards,

Heiko

[Heiko Wehner]

And now get the fuck out of this discussion and spot them!

Will do, I guess on the weekend I'll try some location about 140km away if the weather plays along. Sadly near Marburg there is no berus to be seen (at least to my knowledge)...
Thanks for the lesson though