Adder

Like all snakes, adders are shy and, therefore, rarely seen, but this beautiful specimen has moved in with Pat Glenday, a resident of Kilchoan village. It spends its day sunning itself on the stones which surround her house and only moves for cover if disturbed - and then reappears almost immediately.

Adders aren't common around here, but the local people who see them most are those who do grass cutting. The Diary has only seen one in fifteen years, and it was a young adder squashed flat on the road. Yet the townships of Ormsaigmore and Ormsaigbeg are named after them, ormr being snake in Norse, and vik being bay.

Adders are poisonous though the bite is rarely dangerous, causing more anxiety than anything else. Nevertheless, if someone is bitten, medical help should be sought because, as well as the effects of the bite - swelling around the bite, pain, nausea, dizziness and fainting - the danger of anaphylaxis requires immediate action. The site here gives advice on what to do in the event of a bite.

Co-incidentally, an East African friend has just sent this picture of a python hunt: it puts things into perspective.

Many thanks to Pat Glenday for the adder picture.