Rattlesnakes are out and about in Arizona and some are more difficult to spot than others.
Can you spot the rattlesnake in the accompanying images? (Bonus points if you can ID the species.)
These were questions posed Monday to social-media followers of Rattlesnake Solutions, headquartered in Phoenix and Tucson.
“What did Dave find at this home near Tucson?” the company asked via Facebook. “This one is very hard. In fact, the first person to correctly identify it gets a free RS t-shirt.”
(The snake’s location is revealed at the bottom of this post.)
Spotting the snake is difficult, but identifying the species would seem impossible for anyone but an expert, given how well the snake is hiding.
However, a follower named Loren correctly identified the reptile as a Mojave rattlesnake soon after the post was published.
Many were stumped, including a follower named Jill, who commented: “I so wanted to say he found a Packrat’s nest in that yard, but I’m sure there’s a snake in there somewhere. Probably a Diamondback but my eyes just are not that good.”
Some spotted the snake and guessed western diamondback as the species, which is not surprising.
The Mojave rattlesnake is nicknamed “the Mojave Green” because of a greenish tinge that helps experts distinguish it from the western diamondback.
Rattlesnake Solutions states on its website:
“This snake has a reputation of being an overly dangerous snake, as it is quick to become defensive and has a powerful neurotoxin in many parts of its range. These snakes should always be avoided if seen.”
The Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument described the Mojave rattlesnake as “the most venomous snake found on the monument” and added:
“The venom, potent in neurotoxins that attack the nervous system and hemotoxins that attack the blood should make this snake high on anyone’s list to avoid.”
The rattlesnake relocated from Dave’s yard is circled above.