This tan Blacktailed Rattlesnake was spotted on a night hike in the Harquahala mountains of western Arizona. In the low desert, they look quite different than the typical yellow and black Blacktails we often post photos of. This is a very adaptable species, thriving in mountainous habitat from sea level to high mountains, in hot, dry deserts to relatively cool pine forest and all in between.
A Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake hiding away on a dry May day. A site nearby will serve as an aestivation den a few weeks later, once temperatures were firmly in the triple digits each day.
A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake cruising along a dry wash on a hot summer evening. Nearby water means a higher number of rattlesnakes in the area, and they can be found each evening moving to and from the spring. Not only good for a drink; these situations are ideal hunting opportunities for prey who also need it.
A young Sonoran Sidewinder I found in central Arizona near the edge of their range. These small specialists can be found in relatively flat, sandy and grassy desert areas in the region, but their presence ends abruptly at the edges of mountains.
Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes ssp.) https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/Sidewinder
Banded Sandsnakes are common, found in sandy drainages and often spotted on the surface in the summer. They’re often mistaken for superficially similar groundsnakes and shovelnosed snakes – one way to tell them apart is the relatively wide body, and the gradual transition of the dorsal stripe to the tan base color along its back. They also have kind of silly puppy faces, which can’t be unseen once you do. This one was found near our office in Cave Creek.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake found at night in a wooded area of central Arizona.
A Banded Rock Rattlesnake found on a hike through a wooded canyon.
Western Banded Geckos are native to the southwest. Like many geckos, these little lizards can vocalize, emitting a squeaking bark when distressed. Unlike many geckos, however, they have eyelids, which give the appearance of having eyelashes with slightly raised scales. These are also not wall-climbers, lacking the clinging pads geckos are famous for. If you’re in an urban area, these are not the geckos you likely see around the patio light at night.
Arizona Black Rattlesnake watching us as we watch her from a basking spot near her winter den. She is one of a group of females that will stay here all year, eventually giving birth late in the summer.
Sonoran Sidewinders are very fast as they, essentially, tip-toe across hot desert sand. At night, they can be confused by flashlights and move with speed in surprising directions. This may be an explanation for reports of their “aggression”. In reality, they are timid, quick to flee, and often less likely to strike out defensively than other species in the area. This one was seen crossing a dirt road near Phoenix.
