### Identification Often mistaken for a snake, the **Slow-worm (*Anguis fragilis*) is actually a legless lizard. It possesses a smooth, cylindrical body with tiny, non-overlapping scales that give it a polished, metallic sheen—reminiscent of burnished copper or lead. Adults typically reach 30–50cm. To distinguish them from snakes, look for visible eyelids** (they blink!) and a notched, rather than deeply forked, tongue. Unlike the distinct neck of a snake, the Slow-worm’s head flows seamlessly into its body. Males are usually uniform grey or brown, while females and juveniles sport dark flanks and a thin, elegant stripe running down the spine.
### Habitat & Range This resilient lizard is found across most of Europe and into Western Asia. It avoids open, scorched earth, preferring "edge" habitats with high humidity and dense cover. You’ll find them in rank tussocky grassland, heathlands, and forest clearings. They are the quintessential "gardener’s friend," frequently thriving in suburban allotments and compost heaps where the decaying matter provides both warmth and a buffet of prey.
### Behaviour Slow-worms are secretive, semi-fossorial creatures. Unlike the Common Lizard, they rarely bask in the open; instead, they practice "cryptic basking" beneath sun-warmed objects like logs or corrugated iron. If caught, they may exhibit caudal autotomy—dropping their tail to distract a predator. The detached tail thrashes violently while the lizard slips away. They are long-lived and slow-moving, emerging primarily at dusk or after warm rain.
### Diet They are specialized "slug-hunters." Using backward-curving teeth to grip slippery prey, they feast on small slugs, snails, and soft-bodied invertebrates. They forage slowly through leaf litter, using their tongue to "scent" the trail of a gastropod.
### Fascinating Fact The Slow-worm holds the record for the longest-lived lizard. While they typically live 10–15 years in the wild, a male kept at the Copenhagen Zoo lived to be at least 54 years old, proving that life in the slow lane has its benefits!