A rather sluggish slow worm

I have been clearing in the garden, repotting older plants and putting vegetable seedlings into the raised beds. I wanted to re-use an old recycling box that had ended up being stuffed with old plastics pots, and of course sheltering snails.

As I lifted the pots and various other garden ephemera, I revealed the bottom of the bin and saw a sleepy slow worm. I knew it would have to move to find safety, so I left the scene and went upstairs to get my camera. I returned as quickly as i could and of course it had sidled away, but as soon as i lifted the bin i find it sheltering on the earth.

It moved away as quickly as it could and I grabbed a few snaps of it. But the lens on the camera was the macro one I used yesterday and the depth of field is very limited. So I haven't managed to get a sharp image of the whole of its body, but at least you get the idea. Seconds later it had slid away into the undergrowth. I didn't notice the insect which jumped onto its back and it is only there for a single frame in a  sequence of several frames. 

When you look closely there is such an amazing amount of detail and life just in this small patch of ground. I am surprised at how many different small snail shells are lying on the ground, all having lived under the bin for a short time.