Michael Chinery
Unlike mammals and birds, reptiles and amphibians are cold-blooded animals, but this does not mean that they are always cold. Their body temperatures vary with those of the surrounding air or water, so the animals can actually be quite warm.
Amphibians are represented in the garden by frogs, toads and newts. Gardens in southern Europe may harbour the beautiful green tree frog (left) and may also be home to the fire salamander. All have thin, mucus-covered skin and all are confined to damp places. Apart from the fire salamander, our garden species all pass through an aquatic tadpole stage as they grow up. All are carnivorous, feeding on worms, slugs and a wide range of other invertebrates. They sleep through the winter in compost heaps and log-piles, or in the mud at the bottom of ponds.
Reptiles are represented in the garden mainly by lizards and snakes. The animals are covered with scales and, contrary to popular opinion, they are never slimy. Most of them prefer drier and warmer places than the amphibians and they need to warm up by basking in the morning sunshine before they can get going. They are most common in the south, and in all but the warmest areas, the reptiles sleep through the winter.