# Natrix natrix

**Grass Snake / Snok / Grass Snake**

Information about this species.

This species is an important part of the ecosystems in Västerbotten.

## FAQs

- **Why is the grass snake largely restricted to the hemiboreal and south-boreal belts in Scandinavia?**: As an oviparous (egg-laying) species, Natrix natrix requires warm incubation environments. In the northern boreal and subalpine zones, summers are too short and cool to ensure successful embryonic development, unless artificial breeding habitats like compost heaps exist.
- **How does the grass snake utilize the complex water systems of Fennoscandia?**: It is a highly specialized predator in aapa mires, lake shores, and archipelago coasts. As an excellent swimmer, it primarily hunts amphibians, such as the moor frog (Rana arvalis), and small fish, utilizing structurally rich littoral zones and dense reed beds for cover.


## Weitere Informationen

- Illustration: Natrix natrix
- Nature, Taiga & Waters of Västerbotten
- Native to Northern Sweden