During the summer, excursions and picnic outdoors increase, during which we could make unpleasant meetings. Although finding face to face with a snake can frighten, in Italy there are very few dangerous species And it is not so easy to get bitten by a snake. Let’s learn to know the snakes and to distinguish dangerous from the harmless ones And let’s see what to do in the event of a snake bite.
Snakes in Italy: what are the harmless ones?
Not all snakes on our territory are poisonous. Most snakes that we can meet during a walk it is completely harmless.
In fact, in Italy fifteen species of snakes live and only four of these represent a danger to man.
The Innocue and poison -free species They are therefore the majority and there is no need to react aggressively towards animals that do not represent in any way a danger to us.
Let’s see a brief review of non -hazardous snakesto learn to get to know them and not scare us if we had to meet one during a walk.
Snakes, don’t kill them! What to do if you find one at home or in the garden
Natrice from the collar
There Natrice from the collar (Natrix Natrix) is one of the most popular snakes in Italy. It is an aquatic species, therefore we find it in rivers, lakes, waterways and very humid environments, on all our territory. The specimens of this species have a length between 70 centimeters to the meter and eighty and have a little toned body, with a rough appearance and a green gray color with black streaks.
While possessing a poison gland, this snake is Not very aggressive and rarely bite: reserves his bites to fish he feeds on, while is completely harmless to humans. When disturbed tries to escape: when the escape is not possible, it takes on a threatening appearance by flattening the head and hissing and, in extreme cases, pretends to be dead, overturning, making the tongue think and emanating a fetid smell.
Tessellated
There tessellated (Natrix Tessellata) is less widespread than the Natrice from the collar and we can only find it in some areas of Italy, exclusively in aquatic environments. The tessellated Natrice has a slightly toned body on average one meter. This species is generally cream or gray and has darker stains throughout the body and arranged regularly. The head of the Tassellata Natrice has a particular elongated shape.
The tessellated Natrice it is not poisonoustherefore, it is one of the harmless species for man.
Viperine Natrice
There Viperine Natrice (Natrix Maura) It is a little more robust than the Natrice with the collar and the tessellated Natrice. It is possible to find the Natrice Viperina especially in Sardinia and Liguria, always in aquatic environments. The average length of this snake is about one meter. The body of the Viperine Natrice can be cream white, gray or light purple and has dark spots arranged in zigzag.
The Viperina Natrice has a quiet characterbut if he feels threatened he tends to defend himself by imitating the behavior of the vipers: unlike the viper, however, it is not poisonous and therefore appears completely harmless.
Biaco
The biaco (Hierophis Viridiflavus), like the Natrice with a collar, is a very common snake in our country and spread throughout Italy: we can easily find it in the woods and countryside. Biaco is a snake that can reach remarkable lengths: it can even measure 185 centimeters, although generally a little more than a meter. This snake is generally black and yellow, but there are also completely black, gray or brown specimens. The younger snakes are yellow and striated brown and have a black head with white or yellow spots. The peculiarity of the Biaco is the speed: it is in fact a particularly fast snake. When it is disturbed it can become aggressive and bite, but being without poison, it results harmless to man.
Saettone
– The Saettone (Zamenis Longissimus) is another snake widespread throughout our territory without poison. We can meet this snake in the wet woods with dense vegetation: the Saettone has a toned and tapered body and generally it is about one and a half meters long. The coloring of the body can be brown or green and generally has white streaks, while the head and neck tend to a yellowish shade. Unlike the Biacco, the Saettone moves slowly and sinuously and, if disturbed, slowly moves away.
Cervone
– The cervone (Quatuorlineata elaphe) is a large snake that easily reaches the meter and ninety length. We can easily find it in arid environments, among the stones of countryside and woods of Central Italy. Young animals are white with black spots, while adult specimens have a brown color and have four black stripes along the body. In addition to not being poisonous, the cervone He died rarely and has a quiet character.
Smooth Colubro
– The Smooth Colubro (Austrian coronella) is a small snake about fifty centimeters long, common throughout Italy with the exception of Sardinia. We can meet this species in mountain areas, in the woods and in sunny areas.
The smooth Colubro is light brown with darker spots with very variable shapes and arrangements between the different specimens and a characteristic stain on the neck.
Despite being equipped with a poison gland, the smooth Colubro and has a quiet character.
Colubro dei Riccioli
The Colubro dei Riccioli (Wandering) is another small harmless snake that lives in central Italy in mountain areas. It is a very rare species, difficult to spot, very quiet and not at all biting.
Colubro Ferro di Cavallo
The Colubro Ferro di Cavallo (Hemorrhois hippoccrepis) It is large, black with regular yellow spots and orange belly. It is a muscular snake that can reach the length meter and a half and can be encountered in Sardinia or on the island of Pantelleria: it is still rare to sight it. If disturbed can become aggressive and bite, but it is not poisonous.
Colubro Lacertino
The Colubro Lacertino (Malpolon Monspessulanus) is another large snake that can reach important lengths, up to two meters. It can only be encountered in Liguria in arid and sunny areas. It has a gray or brown uniform color without spots and a very aggressive character. He bites easily and is poisonous but the consequences of the bite Of this snake are not gravitper the man: if you are attacked by this snake you will have swelling and fever for a few days.
Colubro Leopardino
The Colubro Leopardino (Zamenis situla) It owes its name to its particular coloring: it is in fact a white snake with red pins of leopard spot. The head is yellow and black and the scales are smooth. Colubro Leopardino is widespread in southern Italy in the woods, countryside and arid areas. When it is disturbed it can bite but has no poison glandstherefore it is not dangerous for man.
Poisonous snakes in Italy: the vipers
In Italy, poisonous snakes belong to the family of vipere which are distinguished from other harmless snakes for some common characteristics. The vipers are in fact generally small, never exceeding the length meter. They also have a whole and not slender body and the muzzle facing the other. The vipers have very fairing scales, present in large numbers above the head, where they are arranged in a disordered way.
Other important distinctive feature of the vipers It is represented by the pupil: The pupil of the vipers is vertical And elliptical, similar to that of cats, while in harmless snakes the pupil is round.
The vipers live in different areas of our country, based on the species, and have different colors with each other: they can be brown, gray, white and present or not spots.
Among the vipers we can distinguish the common viper (Vipera Aspis), the Vipera dell’Arsini (Vipera Ursinii), The marassus (Vipera Berus) and the Vipera from the horn (Viper ammodytes).
All four species are poisonous, but only the marasso and the viper from the horn are really dangerous: in particular the bite of the vipera of the horn, if not treated in time, can lead to death.
Vipera Dal Corno lives in arid areas and is widespread in Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is generally white with orange zigzag spots, but it can also be completely gray.
Like all vipers he only dies if it is threatened and disturbed, otherwise it is a quiet snake.
How to behave during a walk?
As we have seen, the poisonous snakes in Italy are represented by a few species and there is no need to be alarmed if you meet a snake during a walk.
During the excursions, better to wear long trousers, rejuvenate reinforced on the heels and keep the ankles covered with socks. An excellent idea is to have a stick to beat the pathso as to remove any snakes. If you stop for a picnic, it is better to check the area where it was decided to stop and avoid stopping in sunny, stony and high grass areas.
If you were to meet a viper, you need to maintain a quiet and calm behavior: Don’t try to frighten the animal, threaten or kill him. Generally, snakes tend to move away spontaneously.
What to do if you are bitten by a viper?
As we have seen, Only vipera bites are dangerous for man. Recall that poisonous snakes immediately distinguish from harmless ones because of the elliptical pupil similar to that of cats: the pupil of the harmless snakes is in fact round. This discrimination can be useful to understand if the snake we encountered belongs to a dangerous species or a harmless species.
THE Vipera bites They are recognized for the presence of two distinct and spaced holes of about six millimeters, surrounded by redness and from which blood and serum can escape.
If despite all the precautions we were to get bitten from a viper It is important to keep calm. After changing down and disinfected the bite area, you need to go to the emergency room and avoid do -it -yourself maneuvers that could only worsen the situation.
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