Side Blotched Lizards are one of the most common reptiles to see in the SouthWest. Here are 2 from opposite ends of Arizona.
Jan
14th
2017
Salt Flats of Eastern New Mexico
Just before heading into the Guadalupe mountains in Eastern New Mexico, these salt flats provide a photo opportunity. In the Winter they often flood, creating surreal landscapes such as this one.
Jan
12th
2017
Arizona Bark Scorpion with Babies
We saw this hiking a rocky wash in the hottest part of the year. The night time temperature didn’t drop below 104 all night. Snakes weren’t out, but we did see this cool lady and her babies out and about.
Jan
10th
2017
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
These aren’t snakes of course, but the famous caves near Carlsbad are amazing to see, and a must-visit every time I’m in the area. Here are some photos of the interior of the cave.
Jan
3rd
2017
My First Cottonmouth
I had an opportunity to visit the famed “Snake Road” of Illinois last year with some friends, where I saw my first cottonmouth … quickly followed by 49 more over the next 2 days. Despite their reputation, they proved to be the easiest-going of any viper species I’ve seen, with the most defensive act being a mouth-gape. 
Dec
28th
2016
Sonoran Whipsnake Eating a Spiny Lizard
The first snake seen this day, in the area around Bagdad, Arizona, was this whipsnake. It saw me first and fled, but seemed ‘stuck’ in the bushes. I backed off immediately and approached again slowly, and saw why it was not able to quickly navigate the underbrush: a large spiny lizard sticking out of it’s mouth! Even while stressed by my presence, it was taking it in. I was able to get this single shot between the branches.
Dec
27th
2016
Common Snakes of Tucson
My rattlesnake removal service business has expanded to Tucson and surrounding areas. I’ve started a new website for that region, since the challenges of snake removal and snakes that are common to find in yards there is different than in Phoenix. To start, I’ve made a page that identifies the most common snakes that someone may find in their yard in the Tucson area. It’s not all species of snake, but those that are the most likely to show up, based on our records of the past few years of doing removals in the area. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
Tucson Snake Removal – Common snakes found in the Tucson area
Dec
24th
2016
Timber Rattlesnakes of Northern Pennsylvania
Here are a few timbers from the Allegheny region of Pennsylvania, with a significantly slower camera and worse photography skills … sounds like a reason to go back to me!
