AKICILJ: Calling all biologists

So, does anyone know if slow worms externally fertilise their eggs? I've inadvertently decapitated the male of the slow worm pair that lives in our garden while giving the front lawn its first cut of the year. The female is alive and well, and by her plumpness seems heavy with eggs. She's been relocated to the back garden (which is where they've nested in previous years), hopefully to lay in peace.

Also, does anyone know how large their territories are? I haven't seen any other slow worms in the immediate area (bar a juvenile that we found when we demolished the second old shed a couple of years back), so I've assuming that the chances of her finding another mate are pretty slim.

Bugger. I could have done without this.

AKICILJ: Calling all biologists

So, does anyone know if slow worms externally fertilise their eggs? I've inadvertently decapitated the male of the slow worm pair that lives in our garden while giving the front lawn its first cut of the year. The female is alive and well, and by her plumpness seems heavy with eggs. She's been relocated to the back garden (which is where they've nested in previous years), hopefully to lay in peace.

Also, does anyone know how large their territories are? I haven't seen any other slow worms in the immediate area (bar a juvenile that we found when we demolished the second old shed a couple of years back), so I've assuming that the chances of her finding another mate are pretty slim.

Bugger. I could have done without this.

Creature Comforts

Sitting down with the garklet to watch the episode of Creature Comforts currently on ITV1 ("Safari Park"), and for the first time I know exactly who supplied one of the voices; the rather dandy lion in the opening shot is quite clearly Alexander Thynn, the 7th Marquis of Bath. The fact that he's surrounded by a group of wifelets lionesses is a nice touch that I feel may be lost on the garklet...

Creature Comforts

Sitting down with the garklet to watch the episode of Creature Comforts currently on ITV1 ("Safari Park"), and for the first time I know exactly who supplied one of the voices; the rather dandy lion in the opening shot is quite clearly Alexander Thynn, the 7th Marquis of Bath. The fact that he's surrounded by a group of wifelets lionesses is a nice touch that I feel may be lost on the garklet...