Hierophis Viridiflavus 1

Hello, been a few weeks I haven't uploaded any new pictures, been busy with job but I've found some time to walk along a river searching for this snake showed above. The pictures doesn't look very good, cause this is a very aggressive snake, not venimous, but tricky, the bite hurts, but... that's ok and I was alone, so keeping it quiet and take pictures is quite.... impossible. I used the glove for no such bad surprise... it was almost 1m30cm and it's nose was hurt/cut, freshly unmolted... Nice experience.

you can realise it's size like this

Portrait

running away

A chance I had the glove... 

Vipera Aspis Atra

This is the Vipera Aspis Atra, a venimous snake you can find in France, Switzerland and Italy, it is a sub-specie of the Vipera Aspis, you can see many different and asymetric patterns, various colors and irregularities can vary from a valley, place to another completely. Its length is approx. 60-80 cm max. In Switzerland, the biotopes I go to find them are vineyards, old rock buildings, abandoned mountain constructions, groves, brambles. Also in plains and high in altitude such like 2800m. It is one of the rare snakes who doesn't gives birth with eggs, but finished ''baby snakes'' just like mammal does. You can see here above some difference between a specimen to another, in colors etc... but it is the same specie.

Please don't use these pictures for any private or public diffusion, copy etc... without asking me directly at : g.bovey@hotmail.com 

They are all Copyright reserved, and understand that this is the result of hours of work, 

search and patience. Thank you for your interest.

Malpolon Monspessulanus

Here is Europe's fastest snake and biggest! it can reach 2,5m, is a colubridae that can be find in south of france, it has an excellent sight, very territorial, also has venom but is back in the mouth. I was pretty lucky to find one in the very dense vegetation, I went there with a friend and yes, we were too late in the season and we only had one... That disappeared under our eyes after a few shots... this one was young and freshly molted! I never had such an experience when I took its tail... Insanely aggressive, loads of bites, strong breath... just woaaaaah! Is by far a beautiful snake, and very common in south of france... But tricky to have due to the biotopes it hides, its sight and speed... you have to experience it to realize HOW fast it is.

Here is the Malpolon, very aggressive and fast snake, this one was young, the colors are well pronounced and its size was almost 1 meter. Adult it can reach 2,5 meters.

Portrait of the Malpolon.

Tongue out