Ahhh, spring. Trees are budding, wildflowers blooming, butterflies emerging and the grass is greening up. And the snakes are crawling. Calls about reptiles in backyards -- and front yards, houses and ...

Britain has only three native snakes but a fourth species, the 2-metre-long Aesculapian snake, is breeding in the wild in at least two places – by exploiting the warmth of buildings and compost heaps.