Britain, so it was believed, was once the haunt of murderous dragons, or ‘wyrms’ as they were known in medieval times.
But the closest these islands have to real dragons are the far more endearing great crested newts, which are most dragonesque in spring when the males develop fiery orange bellies and jagged crests along their backs – a sign that they’re in breeding condition.
Courtship takes place at night, when male newts compete for the attention of the crestless females by doing a sort of subaqua flamenco. The purpose of the dance is partly chemical, as the wafting motion of their long tails pushes enticing pheromones towards the females. After mating, the females stick their fertilised eggs to plants underwater.
Great crested newts don’t get on with fish, which eat their eggs as well as the newtlets, so they favour fish-free ponds, often on farmland or old brownfield sites.
They don’t linger though. By early summer, the adults have returned to life on land, with young newts following a month or two later.
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