- Joined
- Dec 2, 2003
- Messages
- 841
I spent the previous weekend field herping in Phoenix with a friend. Probably my last real herping trip of the year, sadly. We didn't see a ton, which happens sometimes unfortunately. I also had camera problems, so the pics didn't come out as well as I would have liked. But it was a blast, and I can't wait to go back and spend a couple weeks there.
The first night of the trip we went road cruising near Phoenix, and saw quite a few snakes. Unfortunately, there were a couple DOR (dead on road) that I didn't photograph. Here are the live ones:
First snake of the trip was this adorable juvie Crotalus scutulatus, Mojave Rattlesnake. The ones here in Texas just don't compare in beauty to the AZ scutes.
Second snake was this abberant adult female Crotalus scutulatus. We collected her to photograph more during the day, so only the road shot was from the night we found her.
Third snake was a lifer for me. Crotalus cerastes! Gorgeous adult male. We also collected him to photograph during the day, taking GPS coordinates so he could be released in the same place he was found.
Last snake of the night was this female Crotalus atrox. They may be common as dirt, but they are the classic rattlesnake. I never get tired of them, and it was cool to get one outside of Texas.
The first night I also saw my first wild Hadrurus arizonensis. They were running across the road, and you could clearly see them from the car. I couldn't get over how HUGE they all were. I collected one for a pet, and photographed this one.
The next day we hiked a TON! The only snake was a black necked garter, and one DOR Crotalus cerberus. I don't photograph DOR, or count them on my life list. I did find some cool bones, a bunch of inverts, and a TON of turkey feathers. Here are the pics from the hike.
My friend Kris heading into the wash.
There were Adelpha eulalia (Arizona Sister) butterflies drinking at all the pools of water in the wash.
The pools were also full of Belostomatidae (Giant Water Bugs) and Gerridae (Water Striders).
Flies were everywhere, but thankfully not the biting type. I love Bombylidae so I grabbed this shot.
Around the water we saw Hyla arenicolor (Canyon Tree Frogs), and the Thamnophis cyrtopsis (Black Necked Garter Snake).
Urosaurus ornatus (Ornate Tree Lizards) were everywhere. Unfortunately Crotaphytus collaris (Collard Lizards) were not, though we did see one juvenile.
This is me posing at one of the watering holes. Yes, those are feathers. And yes, that is part of a pelvis hanging from my backpack.
After we left the wash, we checked out another area near a running stream. It looked more like Louisiana than Arizona. I kept expecting to see Nerodia. The stagnant pools were covered in duckweed, and lots of Dolomedes triton were hanging out.
This one practiced cannibalism.
My friend Kris by the roots of a tree where the bank had washed away. The tree was still going strong.
Some Cicadidae husks under the tree.
Everyone should recognize this beauty. Danaus plexippus
Some scenery shots from the area of the hike.
The last day we hiked a different wash, but didn't see any snakes, and I couldn't catch any pics of the lizards running around. I did find a barrel cactus in bloom, and photographed some bees going to town in the pollen.
Last but not least was the sunset over Phoenix.
The first night of the trip we went road cruising near Phoenix, and saw quite a few snakes. Unfortunately, there were a couple DOR (dead on road) that I didn't photograph. Here are the live ones:
First snake of the trip was this adorable juvie Crotalus scutulatus, Mojave Rattlesnake. The ones here in Texas just don't compare in beauty to the AZ scutes.
Second snake was this abberant adult female Crotalus scutulatus. We collected her to photograph more during the day, so only the road shot was from the night we found her.
Third snake was a lifer for me. Crotalus cerastes! Gorgeous adult male. We also collected him to photograph during the day, taking GPS coordinates so he could be released in the same place he was found.
Last snake of the night was this female Crotalus atrox. They may be common as dirt, but they are the classic rattlesnake. I never get tired of them, and it was cool to get one outside of Texas.
The first night I also saw my first wild Hadrurus arizonensis. They were running across the road, and you could clearly see them from the car. I couldn't get over how HUGE they all were. I collected one for a pet, and photographed this one.
The next day we hiked a TON! The only snake was a black necked garter, and one DOR Crotalus cerberus. I don't photograph DOR, or count them on my life list. I did find some cool bones, a bunch of inverts, and a TON of turkey feathers. Here are the pics from the hike.
My friend Kris heading into the wash.
There were Adelpha eulalia (Arizona Sister) butterflies drinking at all the pools of water in the wash.
The pools were also full of Belostomatidae (Giant Water Bugs) and Gerridae (Water Striders).
Flies were everywhere, but thankfully not the biting type. I love Bombylidae so I grabbed this shot.
Around the water we saw Hyla arenicolor (Canyon Tree Frogs), and the Thamnophis cyrtopsis (Black Necked Garter Snake).
Urosaurus ornatus (Ornate Tree Lizards) were everywhere. Unfortunately Crotaphytus collaris (Collard Lizards) were not, though we did see one juvenile.
This is me posing at one of the watering holes. Yes, those are feathers. And yes, that is part of a pelvis hanging from my backpack.
After we left the wash, we checked out another area near a running stream. It looked more like Louisiana than Arizona. I kept expecting to see Nerodia. The stagnant pools were covered in duckweed, and lots of Dolomedes triton were hanging out.
This one practiced cannibalism.
My friend Kris by the roots of a tree where the bank had washed away. The tree was still going strong.
Some Cicadidae husks under the tree.
Everyone should recognize this beauty. Danaus plexippus
Some scenery shots from the area of the hike.
The last day we hiked a different wash, but didn't see any snakes, and I couldn't catch any pics of the lizards running around. I did find a barrel cactus in bloom, and photographed some bees going to town in the pollen.
Last but not least was the sunset over Phoenix.
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