Are Adder bites dangerous?
The bite itself is not painful and may not be felt at the time. For most people an Adder bite will cause only mild discomfort and swelling. The swelling is characteristically blackened and subsides after a few days. However, babies, toddlers, the elderly, and those people who are allergic to bee and wasp stings may be seriously affected by Adder bites. Complete recovery takes about one to two weeks. To put this in perspective only around 10 people are known to have died from Adder bites in the last 100 years (at least 5 of these as a result of a reaction to the anti-serum given). By comparison some 200 people have died from bee and wasp stings in the last 100 years, and on average 2 people die each year from dog bites.
