A metallic green jewel of the Amazon – Two-Striped Forest Pitviper, from Peru a few years back.
Two Striped Forest Pitviper
Category: Viperidae
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake from Belmont Mountains, Arizona
A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake from a mountain range near Phoenix. In this area, this species is usually this orange-cream or brown. This one was found on a rocky hillside earlier in 2025.
Cochran, C. (2019). Variation in morphology, diet, and venom composition in Crotalus pyrrhus (Cope 1867). Doctoral dissertation, Loma Linda University. https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3590&context=etd
New Mexico Ridgenosed Rattlesnake
New Mexico Ridgenosed Rattlesnake, Crotalus willardi obscurus. This adult was found in high-elevation woodland in northern Mexico.
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake in Ambush
Speckled Rattlesnakes are often seen by hikers in Phoenix, who can be surprised that wildlife can be found even on hiking trails in the middle of the city. If you’ve ever hiked Camelback, you’ve likely walked right past at least one of these beautiful pink animals. They’re very cryptic though, so not many people will ever know.
Mojave Rattlesnake from the Phoenix Area
Mojave Rattlesnake of a fairly typical color and pattern for the Phoenix area. These snakes are common in the flat, sandy creosote areas surrounding the city. They were once common in what is now downtown, being found in the flats around Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak (though not on the mountains themselves). They’ve long been extirpated from those areas, but can still be found in small, isolated pockets of habitat around Scottsdale.
Arizona Ridgenosed Rattlesnake in Habitat
An Arizona Ridgenosed Rattlesnake found in bunchgrass on a perfect, overcast day in the Arizona sky islands.
Central American Eyelash Viper
An especially beautiful Central American Eyelash Viper that I found in Costa Rica last year on a family vacation.
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake Looking Like Its Name
An orange Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake making good on its name. While its bands are still visible, the chaotic distribution of colors can make this animal very difficult to see in context. This one lives near quite a few people with hundreds hiking right past it every weekend, but bites nobody.
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake
(Crotalus pyrrhus)https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/SpeckledRattlesnake
New Mexico Ridgenosed Rattlesnake
New Mexico Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake, Crotalus willardi obscurus
Baby Blacktailed Rattlesnake
A young Blacktailed Rattlesnake from the southeastern mountains of Arizona. When they are this age, they’ll often have subtle grey and black banding in the tail. This usually darkens to a solid black with age, but not always. Of the species of rattlesnakes in the state, coming across babies of this species out and about may be the least frequent for me.
