A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake in ambush on a humid night a couple of years back. Like many other desert reptiles, the monsoon and period after are the most active times of year. Humid air and cooler, stable temperatures make for safer activity, and a lot has to be done in a relatively short amount of time.
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus)
A Rosy Boa found on a late night hike in Baja California Sur, Mexico a few years back.
A Gila Monster out and about on a spring day a couple of years ago. On mild days, these animals start to move away from often communal dens to springtime staging areas. They may take daily patrols, searching for nesting mammals and quail eggs. It’s common for hikers to report them on social media frequently within a few days’ time, usually in late February or early March, which is a reliable signal that the process has begun each year.
A Twin-Spotted Rattlesnake with a relatively drab pattern, but not atypical for an older adult. These are small snakes, rarely seen by hikers, as their range within the U.S. consists of only a handful of mountains in southeastern Arizona. In addition to rodents, these rattlesnakes also specialize in lizards, often taking the colorful Yarrows Spiny Lizards also common to rocky outcrops in high pine forests. These are among the protected species within Arizona, but a good number of them still end up being taken from the mountains each year to enter the European black market.
Prival, D. B., Goode, M. J., Swann, D. E., & Schwalbe, C. R. (2002). Natural history of a northern population of twin-spotted rattlesnakes, Crotalus pricei. Journal of Herpetology, 36(4), 598–607. https://doi.org/10.1670/0022-1511(2002)036[0598:NHOANP]2.0.CO;2
Prival, D. B., & Schroff, M. J. (2012). A 13-year study of a northern population of twin-spotted rattlesnakes (Crotalus pricei): Growth, reproduction, survival, and conservation. Herpetological Monographs, 26(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1655/HERPMONOGRAPHS-D-11-00002.1
Prival, D. B., Goode, M. J., Swann, D. E., & Schwalbe, C. R. (1999). A comparative study of hunted vs. unhunted populations of the twin-spotted rattlesnake. Unpublished report, University of Arizona. PDF link
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Grabowsky, E. (2018). Venom composition of little known mountain rattlesnakes and predator-prey interactions of Crotalus pricei pricei and its natural prey, Sceloporus jarrovii (Master’s thesis). University of Northern Colorado. https://digscholarship.unco.edu/theses/251/
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I spotted this young Gila Monster on an isolated rocky area surrounded by desert grassland. Gilas in this area can often have more black mottling than the banded version found elsewhere in the state. We took some photos briefly and let it be on its way.
A Madrean Mountain Kingsnake from the southeastern corner of the state. These colorful snakes can be surprisingly difficult to spot, despite their bright coloration. In the low, dappled light and noisy background of their woodland environment, there’s not a “snake shape” to see, and they’re easy to walk right by.
A Chihuahuan Hooknosed Snake we found in Cochise County, Arizona. These small snakes have a specialized scale on its face that it can use to help it uncover its prey: arachnids and centipedes. Of the snakes that can be found in Arizona, this is one of the least often seen, even by snake enthusiasts.
This one became defensive as it was being photographed, striking repeatedly at the camera with a closed mouth. This is a good example of why the popular saying “if it has a mouth, it can bite” is missing a critical component to be relevant: not just can it bite, but WILL it bite. This little snake says no.
Central Baja California Banded Rock Lizard from … central Baja California, in the rocks.
One of the native turtles of Arizona, a Sonoran Mud Turtle we saw cruising around a water hole in Yavapai County. These stinky little guys can live in many waterways below the rim, and can be seen any time of day and year in the right conditions.
A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake hanging out in the shade on a blistering hot morning several years ago. This snake is still using this spot in the summer, staying cooler during the day and emerging at night, staying very near.
This is why, when we are called to capture a snake at a home during peak summer, we search for others. Especially without rain, they’re tethered to aestivation sites, never going far. If a rattlesnake is found on the back patio right now, there are only a few possibilities. It was either displaced by construction, tossed over the fence by the fire department, or it has been there for several weeks, successfully hiding as it always has before being discovered.
