Slow worm

About

The Slow worm is a legless lizard that is often mistaken for a snake due to its snake-like body and is unjustly killed. In reality, it is completely non-venomous and slow. In the Carpathians, the Slow worm is common in deciduous and mixed forests, on forest edges, clearings, in gardens, and in fields near villages, from the foothills to the forest belt.

Its length, including the tail, is usually 30–45 cm. The scales are smooth and shiny, copper-brown, gray, or bronze; young individuals have a light back and dark sides. Unlike snakes, the Slow worm blinks: it has eyelids. When caught by the tail, it can shed it, like other lizards, hence the name 'fragilis'.

The Slow worm is active in the morning, evening, and after rain, and in hot weather, it hides under logs, stones, and in forest litter. It eats slugs, snails, earthworms, and caterpillars, making it beneficial for gardens and fields. The female does not lay eggs but gives birth to young in the second half of summer.

Note: In the eastern part of its range, particularly in Ukraine, there is a very similar species — the Colchian Slow worm (Anguis colchica). It is nearly impossible to distinguish them by sight, so field records often simply indicate 'Slow worm'.

The Slow worm is not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent.

Countries

Czechia · Austria · Romania · Poland · Hungary · Slovakia · Ukraine

Mountain ranges

Almăj and Locva Mountains, Codru-Moma and Zarand, Bükk, Gorce, Trascău and Metaliferi Mountains, Pokuttia-Bukovina Carpathians, Bieszczady

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Look-alikes — how to tell them apart

Protection and rules

Not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine; killing Slow worms cannot be justified — they are safe.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

FAQ