Grass snake

The grass snake (Natrix) is a non-venomous snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibia and lizards.

Grass snake
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Natrix
Species:	N. natrix
Binomial name
Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758)
Natrix natrix range map
Synonyms
Coluber natrix Linnaeus, 1758 Natrix vulgaris Laurenti, 1768 Tropidonotus natrix - F. Boie, 1827 Natrix natrix - Stejneger, 1907

A grass snake upsidedown, playing dead

The grass snake is widely distributed in mainland Europe, from mid Scandinavia to southern Italy. It is also found in Middle East and northwestern Africa.

There is a native species in Great Britain but it is not Natrix natrix. It is Natrix helvetica the barred grass snake. The two subspecies were both called Natrix natrix until recently (2017).

Work by the Senckenberg Research Institute in Germany lead a study into the genetics of over 1,600 grass snakes.