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Smooth Newt · Field Guide · Things With Wings

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Smooth Newt

Lissotriton vulgaris

Not yet photographed by the community

UK's commonest newt; male has wavy crest in breeding season.

Species Profile

UK Biodiversity Action Plan species; protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; UK status is of Low Concern but locally declining due to pond loss.

Lifespan: 6–15 years in the wild, occasionally longer in captivity
Size & Weight: 7–11 cm body length; 2–4 g
Habitat: Breeding in ponds, ditches, and slow-moving water bodies; terrestrial in woodlands, hedgerows, and grassland during non-breeding season.
UK Distribution: Widespread throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; absent from Ireland and the far north of Scotland. Resident year-round.
Diet: Small aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates including insects, crustaceans, worms, and molluscs.
Prey: Aquatic larvae (mosquito, dragonfly), small crustaceans (Daphnia, copepods), earthworms, slugs, and small insects
Predators: Herons, cormorants, pike, perch, dragonfly nymphs, grass snakes, and occasionally foxes and badgers
Mating Season: March to June (peak April–May)
Breeding: Females lay 200–300 eggs individually on aquatic plants over several weeks; eggs hatch in 12–19 days depending on temperature; larvae metamorphose after 2–3 months.

Sources and editorial status

The short identification summary comes from the Things With Wings species catalogue. The extended species profile is AI-assisted and has not been individually reviewed by a wildlife expert, so verify important identification or conservation details with the specialist sources below.

Profile generated 24 June 2026

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