Vipera berus in northern Black Forest (Germany)

[Heiko Wehner]

Hey there,

just returned from my trip to the Black Forest.
I really made it, I managed to spot four V. berus during my stay (maybe with some rock-flipping it could have been more, but I was there hiking with my grilfriend, so I was restricted to check along the hiking trails).

The first specimen was a little one, dark brown, almost no pattern (in situ-photo will follow, I'm on the wrong computer ).

The second one was a (estimated 60cm) female, which was living in a stone wall near our camping-site. I went there on a daily base and watched her, but most of the time she was hiding in her crevice or laying in the high grass, retreating into bushes as soon as I came closer.

This is a portrait of the lady:

Vipera berus (Kreuzotter) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

The third was a male (around 35cm), found him at the edge of a moor, lying in the sun:


Vipera berus (Kreuzotter) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr


Vipera berus (Kreuzotter) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Number four was a black specimen, around 20cm long. I found it near the hideout of the big female, but it disappeared in the grass before I could take a picture.

All in all I can say that I think I'm hooked to V. berus now - amazing to find and watch them in the nature. The next trip to their habitat is coming for sure, hopefully I'll get some more good shots then.

Regards,

Heiko

[Dominik Hauser]

Congrats to your berus, real nice pictures...

[Paul Lambourne]

Heiko

Great pics,the portrait is stunning. Congrats on your finds.

Paul

[Heiko Wehner]

Rock flipping?!

What about it, when done carefully? Was recommended by a local biologist I met by chance.

Regards,

Heiko

[Heiko Wehner]

Hi,

yes, he did indeed. The one habitat I found them in that was not a natural reserve was (like mentioned) a wall built of rocks, sometimes sourrounded by bushes. Around the wall there were some spots where rocks would lie in larger heaps, creating bigger crevices. Since the V. berus seem to dwell in and around the wall, I think it wouldn't be too absurd to look around in some of these heaps.
I don't think you would find them und rocks lying flat on the ground, I may have phrased that not clear enough.

Regards

[Heiko Wehner]

Hey there!

As I wrote above, I didn't flip anything.
If I would have though, I would only have done it if I'd been sure I could put everything back in place.
I surely wouldn't "tear apart" anything, as you put it.
Why should I risk hurting animals or destroying their habitat? That would be plain stupid and counter-productive if I plan to search a location again in the future...

Regards,

Heiko

[Daniel Bohle]

[quote="Michael] Anyone here ever flipped a berus? And if so, what is the percentage compared to sighting them?
Micha[/quote]
yes, 5 of around 4500.

[Heiko Wehner]

Since you seem to be insisting on the rock-aspect:

Obviously you never found a V. berus under a rock, I got that by now.

I also understood that most of the encounters with V. berus don't involve flipping. I'm fine with that.

But out of interest: where would be the difference for an adder if it hides under a rock, a piece of wood, a piece of trash, whatever? Do they even have preferences when several different materials would offer a comparable hideout?
Are there differences between hideouts made of different materials I don't think of?

Regards,

Heiko

[Daniel Bohle]

yes, 5 of around 4500.

Flipped rock?! I excluded flat things...

One under a stone.

In my area you hardly find any things to flip, but as soon as someone puts stones or whatever close to the well know spots, they use them.

for example:
last winter someone dumped a pile of stones direkt into the hot spot and a few weeks ago I found the first berus while flipping one of these stones.
and we have a huge (ha32) open field where you can find berus just at a few small spots. on this huge field someone dumped around 10 nice sheets of a roof.
I never found any berus while flipping these. one day I took a few of them closer to the well know spots and one week later I found the first while flipping.

[Daniel Bohle]

Are there differences between hideouts made of different materials I don't think of?

see
MUTZ, T. & GLANDT, D. (2003): Künstliche Versteckplätze als Hilfsmittel der
Freilandforschung an Reptilien unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Kreuzotter
(Vipera berus) und Schlingnatter (Coronella austriaca). – Mertensiella 15: 186-196

there are also more of these studies

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.
So, for every type of weather condition, snake species and personal population preference you need to choos the right material and thickness