Utah 2017 Review
Posted: February 2nd, 2018, 9:58 pm
2017 was kind of a slow year for me as far as numbers go. It seems like I got skunked more often than not. However, I feel like the diversity was good and I did manage to check off a number of species that have eluded me or that I've put off searching for several years.
I started finding the first herps of the year back in March.
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
In mid April, I took a trip down to the Nevada BioBlitz. Thomas and I stopped in St. George for the night and turned up a few things.
Texas Spiny Softshell Turtle-Apalone spinifera emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Texas Spiny Softshell Turtle-Apalone spinifera emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red-eared Slider-Trachemys scripta elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Side-blotched Lizard-Uta stansburiana elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake-Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake-Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Common Chuckwalla-Sauromalus ater by Rye Jones, on Flickr
After hours of cruising we turned up the only snake of the night.
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning we did a bit of herping before heading out to Nevada.
Northern Plateau Lizard-Sceloporus tristichus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Skink-Plestiodon skiltonianus utahensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Side-blotched Lizard-Uta stansburiana elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red Racer (Coachwhip)-Masticophis flagellum piceus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red Racer (Coachwhip)-Masticophis flagellum piceus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Nevada was kind of slow. I think we hit the area a few weeks too early, but it was a good time with lots of great people.
Utah Banded Gecko-Coleonyx variegatus utahensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Hairy Scorpion-Hadrurus arizonensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red-spotted Toad-Anaxyrus punctatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Variable Groundsnake-Sonora semiannulata semiannulata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Smith’s Black-headed Snake-Tantilla hobartsmithi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Skink-Plestiodon skiltonianus utahensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Arizona Toad-Anaxyrus microscaphus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Woodhouse Toad-Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Spadefoot-Spea intermontana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Yucca Night Lizard-Xantusia vigilis vigilis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard-Gambelia wislizenii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A few weeks after returning from Nevada, I made another trip down to Southern Utah with my friend Pat.
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Tortoise-Gopherus agassizii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Tortoise-Gopherus agassizii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Cruising the first night was pretty unproductive so we stopped to search for some amphibians.
Woodhouse Toad-Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Baja California Treefrog-Pseudacris hypochondriaca by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning we found a few more tortoises and a gila.
Desert Tortoise-Gopherus agassizii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Tortoise-Gopherus agassizii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
We laid in the sand for what seemed like several hours, patiently waiting for this gila to come out of a pipe. It would only ever come to the edge and bask. It was pretty skittish and would retreat back into the pipe at the slightest movement. Really fun to watch and observe though.
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
That evening we returned hoping to find the gila out, but it appeared it went further into the pipe as there were no fresh tracks leading away. We hiked around before sunset. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed some movement. When I looked over I saw a side-blotched lizard. It took me a minute to register there was a groundsnake coming out of a sandstone crack.
Variable Groundsnake-Sonora semiannulata semiannulata and Western Side-blotched Lizard-Uta stansburiana elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Variable Groundsnake-Sonora semiannulata semiannulata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
We also saw a gophersnake that I did not photograph before heading out to cruise that night. It was another slow night of cruising with only one little mojave rattlesnake.
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
While we were photographing this snake a car pulled up asking what we had found. Turns out it was Andy O'Connor and Josh Wallace from Washington (Not sure if they're still active on the forum). It was nice to finally meet them in person. I've always enjoyed reading their posts in the past. We ended up camping together that night and made a plan to get them their Utah gila in the morning. The plan was successful and we found another gila the next morning. This one was more cooperative than the first.
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Southern Desert Horned Lizard-Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A few days after leaving St. George, we met up with Andy and Josh again to try for smooth greens. It was another successful outing.
Western Smooth Green Snake-Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Smooth Green Snake-Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wandering Garter Snake-Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Smooth Green Snake-Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I ran into Jeremy at an expo and we decided to go look for milks the next day. We flipped a few gophers, a milk and quite a few great basin rattlesnakes.
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I made another trip down to St. George with my wife. This trip was more of a vacation and not really herp related, but I did manage a few things here and there while we were out exploring.
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Zebra-tailed Lizard-Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Zebra-tailed Lizard-Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Zebra-tailed Lizard-Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Plateau Tiger Whiptail-Aspidoscelis tigris septentrionalis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
And I may have snuck out one night for a quick cruise....
Mojave Desert Sidewinder-Crotalus cerastes cerastes by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Glossy Snake-Arizona elegans eburnata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I went out a few more times for milks. I think I only had one other successful trip with 3 milks, a bunch of gophers and a nightsnake.
Desert Night Snake-Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I took another trip with Pat to explore some new areas in south central Utah. A cold front moved in which made for a really slow weekend. The only snake seen was a freshly hit gopher. It was nice to check out a few new areas though.
Northern Plateau Lizard-Sceloporus tristichus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Plateau Tiger Whiptail-Aspidoscelis tigris septentrionalis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Orange-headed Spiny Lizard-Sceloporus magister cephaloflavus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Orange-headed Spiny Lizard-Sceloporus magister cephaloflavus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
On the way back home we decided to flip a hillside that I've looked at in the past and wanted to try, but had never got around to stopping. Temps were in the low 50s and it was raining, but we flipped a few rattlesnakes.
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
One night back in June I met up with Gavin for what turned out to be our best night of cruising all year. We saw a total of 58 snakes (I think). The majority were gophers, but we also saw longnose, milks, rattlesnakes and a whipsnake.
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
After moving this rattlesnake off the road, it decided to climb about three feet off the ground into some sagebrush.
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I've seen boreal toads in CA before, but I hadn't seen them in Utah until this year. They are one that I'd been putting off for some time. I finally decided to go look for them this year. I found a few before the sun went down. After the sun was down they came out in the hundreds.
Boreal Toad-Anaxyrus boreas boreas by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Boreal Toad-Anaxyrus boreas boreas by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Boreal Toad-Anaxyrus boreas boreas by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Boreal Toad-Anaxyrus boreas boreas by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Spadefoot-Spea intermontana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I tried a new spot near my house this year that I spent quite a bit of time cruising. Turned out to be a decent spot for boas among other things.
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Night Snake-Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Things started to really slow down about this time.
Western Long-nosed Snake-Rhinocheilus lecontei by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
New Mexico Whiptail-Aspidoscelis neomexicana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
In July I decided to try for the last frog species I needed in Utah, the Columbia Spotted Frog. I've scoped out lots of areas on Google Earth over the last several years, but never had the time to go check them out. I made it a point to get out this year and try. My dad joined me for this trip. We got to one of the areas late in the evening and hiked some places before sunset without seeing anything. We cruised the roads that night only seeing a nightsnake and rattlesnake.
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Night Snake-Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning we headed out to some of the areas I had scoped out for frogs. The first few spots didn't produce anything, but we eventually found some, as well as some horned lizards on the roads.
Northern Desert Horned Lizard-Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Desert Horned Lizard-Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Columbia Spotted Frog-Rana luteiventris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Columbia Spotted Frog-Rana luteiventris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Columbia Spotted Frog-Rana luteiventris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
On the way back, we stopped at a few spots to do some fossil hunting. This GB collared lizard didn't seem to happy to see us.
Great Basin Collared Lizard-Crotaphytus bicinctores by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Collared Lizard-Crotaphytus bicinctores by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Another day in July it felt "snakey". The humidity was up and it seemed like some stuff would be moving so I got out to see what I could find. For the most part all I saw was garters. They were definitely on the move. I found several while hiking and some more in the road. After I found a freshly hit boa, I got out and hiked the area a bit, turning up another large adult boa.
Wandering Garter Snake-Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wandering Garter Snake-Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A few more of the usual finds for the next few weeks.
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
My quest for a live Utah ringnecked snake took me to some new areas and some familiar areas. Still wasn't able to find a live ringer, but it wasn't a total bust.
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Spadefoot-Spea intermontana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Spadefoot-Spea intermontana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Another snake I've been searching for years for in Utah is the great plains ratsnake. This snake has eluded me for several years. I was determined to make this the year. Pat and I set out to eastern Utah in search of one.
We turned up dozens of leopard frogs.
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Another snake that has eluded me in the past is the black-necked garter. They may be common in a lot of other places, but they are not commonly seen here in Utah. We decided to try a few spots for those as well while we were there. Not long into the hike, we found one crossing a stream. A very welcome sight and thus completing my Utah garters.
Western Black-necked Gartersnake-Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Black-necked Gartersnake-Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I tried to get photos with natural light, but the light was fading fast so I had to bust out the flash.
Western Black-necked Gartersnake-Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Black-necked Gartersnake-Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A night of cruising didn't produce anything. We hiked a wash and found a bunch of toads.
This thing was a beast!
Woodhouse Toad-Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning we hiked another area. We found a few whipsnakes. We managed to catch one and photograph it.
Desert Striped Whipsnake-Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Eastern Collared Lizard-Crotaphytus collaris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Plateau Lizard-Sceloporus tristichus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Eventually we were able to turn up the main target of the trip. This was my favorite find of the year.
Great Plains Ratsnake-Pantherophis emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Plains Ratsnake-Pantherophis emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Plains Ratsnake-Pantherophis emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A few weeks later, Pat and I made yet another trip down to St. George.
Desert Glossy Snake-Arizona elegans eburnata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Arizona Toad-Anaxyrus microscaphus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard-Sceloporus uniformis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Side-blotched Lizard-Uta stansburiana elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
We went down to Nevada one night to meet up with Steve. No snakes, but we saw plenty of lizards.
Western Zebra-tailed Lizard-Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Southern Desert Horned Lizard-Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Banded Gecko-Coleonyx variegatus utahensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard-Urosaurus graciosus graciosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard-Urosaurus graciosus graciosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard-Urosaurus graciosus graciosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning back in St. George, I stopped to photograph a large spiny lizard that I saw cross the road. As I stepped out of my truck, I nearly stepped on a mojave coiled in a bush right next to the road.
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard-Sceloporus uniformis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Baja California Treefrog-Pseudacris hypochondriaca by Rye Jones, on Flickr
That night we met up with Cameron for some road cruising.
California Kingsnake-Lampropeltis getula californiae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
As the year came to an end, so did the herping with only seeing a few of the common species around home.
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wandering Garter Snake-Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
And officially the latest I've seen a snake out in Utah. Found a couple valley garters the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
While photographing this one, we watched this mink capture and eat another one. It was a cool experience to witness.
Mink Eating a Valley Garter by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mink Eating a Valley Garter by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mink Eating a Valley Garter by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mink Eating a Valley Garter by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
To end I'll throw in some of the non herps, landscapes, etc.
Barn Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Virgin River through Zion by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Bighorn Sheep by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Bighorn Sheep by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Egret by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Gray Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Bold Jumping Spider-Phidippus audax by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Pine Valley Mountains by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Pronghorn by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Garfield County Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wild Horses by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wild Horses by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Box Elder Co. Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
House Fly by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Bold Jumping Spider-Phidippus audax by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Lynx Spider-Oxyopes scalaris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Raccoon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Salt Lake Co. Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Moosehorn Lake and Bald Mountain by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Shepard Lake Waterfall by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Root Borer Beetle-Prionus heroicus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Tarantula-Aphonopelma iodius by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Longwing Katydid-Capnobotes occidentalis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Jumping spider-Habronattus sp. by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Dragonfly by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Buck at Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Garfield Co. Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Banded Garden Spider-Argiope trifasciata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Greater Angle-wing Katydid-Microcentrum rhombifolium by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Farmington Bay by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mule Deer by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Elk by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mule Deer by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red Fox by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Tetons by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Moose by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Moose by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mallard by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Horned Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Farmington Bay Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wood Duck by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Horned Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Horned Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Bald Eagle by Rye Jones, on Flickr
2017 turned out to be a pretty great year and I look forward to what 2018 has in store.
I hope you made it all the way through this. Thanks for looking!
I started finding the first herps of the year back in March.
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
In mid April, I took a trip down to the Nevada BioBlitz. Thomas and I stopped in St. George for the night and turned up a few things.
Texas Spiny Softshell Turtle-Apalone spinifera emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Texas Spiny Softshell Turtle-Apalone spinifera emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red-eared Slider-Trachemys scripta elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Side-blotched Lizard-Uta stansburiana elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake-Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake-Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Common Chuckwalla-Sauromalus ater by Rye Jones, on Flickr
After hours of cruising we turned up the only snake of the night.
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning we did a bit of herping before heading out to Nevada.
Northern Plateau Lizard-Sceloporus tristichus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Skink-Plestiodon skiltonianus utahensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Side-blotched Lizard-Uta stansburiana elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red Racer (Coachwhip)-Masticophis flagellum piceus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red Racer (Coachwhip)-Masticophis flagellum piceus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Nevada was kind of slow. I think we hit the area a few weeks too early, but it was a good time with lots of great people.
Utah Banded Gecko-Coleonyx variegatus utahensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Hairy Scorpion-Hadrurus arizonensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red-spotted Toad-Anaxyrus punctatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Variable Groundsnake-Sonora semiannulata semiannulata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Smith’s Black-headed Snake-Tantilla hobartsmithi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Skink-Plestiodon skiltonianus utahensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Arizona Toad-Anaxyrus microscaphus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Woodhouse Toad-Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Spadefoot-Spea intermontana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Yucca Night Lizard-Xantusia vigilis vigilis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard-Gambelia wislizenii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A few weeks after returning from Nevada, I made another trip down to Southern Utah with my friend Pat.
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Tortoise-Gopherus agassizii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Tortoise-Gopherus agassizii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Cruising the first night was pretty unproductive so we stopped to search for some amphibians.
Woodhouse Toad-Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Baja California Treefrog-Pseudacris hypochondriaca by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning we found a few more tortoises and a gila.
Desert Tortoise-Gopherus agassizii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Tortoise-Gopherus agassizii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
We laid in the sand for what seemed like several hours, patiently waiting for this gila to come out of a pipe. It would only ever come to the edge and bask. It was pretty skittish and would retreat back into the pipe at the slightest movement. Really fun to watch and observe though.
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
That evening we returned hoping to find the gila out, but it appeared it went further into the pipe as there were no fresh tracks leading away. We hiked around before sunset. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed some movement. When I looked over I saw a side-blotched lizard. It took me a minute to register there was a groundsnake coming out of a sandstone crack.
Variable Groundsnake-Sonora semiannulata semiannulata and Western Side-blotched Lizard-Uta stansburiana elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Variable Groundsnake-Sonora semiannulata semiannulata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
We also saw a gophersnake that I did not photograph before heading out to cruise that night. It was another slow night of cruising with only one little mojave rattlesnake.
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
While we were photographing this snake a car pulled up asking what we had found. Turns out it was Andy O'Connor and Josh Wallace from Washington (Not sure if they're still active on the forum). It was nice to finally meet them in person. I've always enjoyed reading their posts in the past. We ended up camping together that night and made a plan to get them their Utah gila in the morning. The plan was successful and we found another gila the next morning. This one was more cooperative than the first.
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Banded Gila Monster-Heloderma suspectum cinctum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Southern Desert Horned Lizard-Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A few days after leaving St. George, we met up with Andy and Josh again to try for smooth greens. It was another successful outing.
Western Smooth Green Snake-Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Smooth Green Snake-Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wandering Garter Snake-Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Smooth Green Snake-Opheodrys vernalis blanchardi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I ran into Jeremy at an expo and we decided to go look for milks the next day. We flipped a few gophers, a milk and quite a few great basin rattlesnakes.
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I made another trip down to St. George with my wife. This trip was more of a vacation and not really herp related, but I did manage a few things here and there while we were out exploring.
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Zebra-tailed Lizard-Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Zebra-tailed Lizard-Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Zebra-tailed Lizard-Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Plateau Tiger Whiptail-Aspidoscelis tigris septentrionalis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
And I may have snuck out one night for a quick cruise....
Mojave Desert Sidewinder-Crotalus cerastes cerastes by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Glossy Snake-Arizona elegans eburnata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I went out a few more times for milks. I think I only had one other successful trip with 3 milks, a bunch of gophers and a nightsnake.
Desert Night Snake-Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I took another trip with Pat to explore some new areas in south central Utah. A cold front moved in which made for a really slow weekend. The only snake seen was a freshly hit gopher. It was nice to check out a few new areas though.
Northern Plateau Lizard-Sceloporus tristichus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Plateau Tiger Whiptail-Aspidoscelis tigris septentrionalis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Orange-headed Spiny Lizard-Sceloporus magister cephaloflavus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Orange-headed Spiny Lizard-Sceloporus magister cephaloflavus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
On the way back home we decided to flip a hillside that I've looked at in the past and wanted to try, but had never got around to stopping. Temps were in the low 50s and it was raining, but we flipped a few rattlesnakes.
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
One night back in June I met up with Gavin for what turned out to be our best night of cruising all year. We saw a total of 58 snakes (I think). The majority were gophers, but we also saw longnose, milks, rattlesnakes and a whipsnake.
Great Basin Gopher Snake-Pituophis catenifer deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
After moving this rattlesnake off the road, it decided to climb about three feet off the ground into some sagebrush.
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Milksnake-Lampropeltis triangulum taylori by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I've seen boreal toads in CA before, but I hadn't seen them in Utah until this year. They are one that I'd been putting off for some time. I finally decided to go look for them this year. I found a few before the sun went down. After the sun was down they came out in the hundreds.
Boreal Toad-Anaxyrus boreas boreas by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Boreal Toad-Anaxyrus boreas boreas by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Boreal Toad-Anaxyrus boreas boreas by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Boreal Toad-Anaxyrus boreas boreas by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Spadefoot-Spea intermontana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I tried a new spot near my house this year that I spent quite a bit of time cruising. Turned out to be a decent spot for boas among other things.
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Night Snake-Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Things started to really slow down about this time.
Western Long-nosed Snake-Rhinocheilus lecontei by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
New Mexico Whiptail-Aspidoscelis neomexicana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
In July I decided to try for the last frog species I needed in Utah, the Columbia Spotted Frog. I've scoped out lots of areas on Google Earth over the last several years, but never had the time to go check them out. I made it a point to get out this year and try. My dad joined me for this trip. We got to one of the areas late in the evening and hiked some places before sunset without seeing anything. We cruised the roads that night only seeing a nightsnake and rattlesnake.
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Night Snake-Hypsiglena chlorophaea deserticola by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning we headed out to some of the areas I had scoped out for frogs. The first few spots didn't produce anything, but we eventually found some, as well as some horned lizards on the roads.
Northern Desert Horned Lizard-Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Desert Horned Lizard-Phrynosoma platyrhinos platyrhinos by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Columbia Spotted Frog-Rana luteiventris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Columbia Spotted Frog-Rana luteiventris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Columbia Spotted Frog-Rana luteiventris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
On the way back, we stopped at a few spots to do some fossil hunting. This GB collared lizard didn't seem to happy to see us.
Great Basin Collared Lizard-Crotaphytus bicinctores by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Collared Lizard-Crotaphytus bicinctores by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Another day in July it felt "snakey". The humidity was up and it seemed like some stuff would be moving so I got out to see what I could find. For the most part all I saw was garters. They were definitely on the move. I found several while hiking and some more in the road. After I found a freshly hit boa, I got out and hiked the area a bit, turning up another large adult boa.
Wandering Garter Snake-Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wandering Garter Snake-Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Rubber Boa-Charina bottae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A few more of the usual finds for the next few weeks.
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
My quest for a live Utah ringnecked snake took me to some new areas and some familiar areas. Still wasn't able to find a live ringer, but it wasn't a total bust.
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Rattlesnake-Crotalus oreganus lutosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Spadefoot-Spea intermontana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Basin Spadefoot-Spea intermontana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Another snake I've been searching for years for in Utah is the great plains ratsnake. This snake has eluded me for several years. I was determined to make this the year. Pat and I set out to eastern Utah in search of one.
We turned up dozens of leopard frogs.
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Another snake that has eluded me in the past is the black-necked garter. They may be common in a lot of other places, but they are not commonly seen here in Utah. We decided to try a few spots for those as well while we were there. Not long into the hike, we found one crossing a stream. A very welcome sight and thus completing my Utah garters.
Western Black-necked Gartersnake-Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Black-necked Gartersnake-Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
I tried to get photos with natural light, but the light was fading fast so I had to bust out the flash.
Western Black-necked Gartersnake-Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Black-necked Gartersnake-Thamnophis cyrtopsis cyrtopsis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A night of cruising didn't produce anything. We hiked a wash and found a bunch of toads.
This thing was a beast!
Woodhouse Toad-Anaxyrus woodhousii woodhousii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning we hiked another area. We found a few whipsnakes. We managed to catch one and photograph it.
Desert Striped Whipsnake-Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Eastern Collared Lizard-Crotaphytus collaris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Plateau Lizard-Sceloporus tristichus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Northern Leopard Frog-Lithobates pipiens by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Eventually we were able to turn up the main target of the trip. This was my favorite find of the year.
Great Plains Ratsnake-Pantherophis emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Plains Ratsnake-Pantherophis emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Plains Ratsnake-Pantherophis emoryi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
A few weeks later, Pat and I made yet another trip down to St. George.
Desert Glossy Snake-Arizona elegans eburnata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Arizona Toad-Anaxyrus microscaphus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard-Sceloporus uniformis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Side-blotched Lizard-Uta stansburiana elegans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
We went down to Nevada one night to meet up with Steve. No snakes, but we saw plenty of lizards.
Western Zebra-tailed Lizard-Callisaurus draconoides rhodostictus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Southern Desert Horned Lizard-Phrynosoma platyrhinos calidiarum by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Utah Banded Gecko-Coleonyx variegatus utahensis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard-Urosaurus graciosus graciosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard-Urosaurus graciosus graciosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Long-tailed Brush Lizard-Urosaurus graciosus graciosus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
The next morning back in St. George, I stopped to photograph a large spiny lizard that I saw cross the road. As I stepped out of my truck, I nearly stepped on a mojave coiled in a bush right next to the road.
Yellow-backed Spiny Lizard-Sceloporus uniformis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Baja California Treefrog-Pseudacris hypochondriaca by Rye Jones, on Flickr
That night we met up with Cameron for some road cruising.
California Kingsnake-Lampropeltis getula californiae by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mojave Rattlesnake-Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
As the year came to an end, so did the herping with only seeing a few of the common species around home.
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wandering Garter Snake-Thamnophis elegans vagrans by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Painted Turtle-Chrysemys picta bellii by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Yellow-bellied Racer-Coluber constrictor mormon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
American Bullfrog-Lithobates catesbeiana by Rye Jones, on Flickr
And officially the latest I've seen a snake out in Utah. Found a couple valley garters the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
While photographing this one, we watched this mink capture and eat another one. It was a cool experience to witness.
Mink Eating a Valley Garter by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mink Eating a Valley Garter by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mink Eating a Valley Garter by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mink Eating a Valley Garter by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Valley Garter Snake-Thamnophis sirtalis fitchi by Rye Jones, on Flickr
To end I'll throw in some of the non herps, landscapes, etc.
Barn Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Virgin River through Zion by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Bighorn Sheep by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Desert Bighorn Sheep by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Egret by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Gray Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Bold Jumping Spider-Phidippus audax by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Pine Valley Mountains by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Pronghorn by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Garfield County Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wild Horses by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wild Horses by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Box Elder Co. Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
House Fly by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Bold Jumping Spider-Phidippus audax by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Lynx Spider-Oxyopes scalaris by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Raccoon by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Salt Lake Co. Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Moosehorn Lake and Bald Mountain by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Shepard Lake Waterfall by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Root Borer Beetle-Prionus heroicus by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Tarantula-Aphonopelma iodius by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Western Longwing Katydid-Capnobotes occidentalis by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Jumping spider-Habronattus sp. by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Dragonfly by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Buck at Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Garfield Co. Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Banded Garden Spider-Argiope trifasciata by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Greater Angle-wing Katydid-Microcentrum rhombifolium by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Farmington Bay by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mule Deer by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Elk by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mule Deer by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Red Fox by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Tetons by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Moose by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Moose by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Mallard by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Horned Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Farmington Bay Sunset by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Wood Duck by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Horned Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Great Horned Owl by Rye Jones, on Flickr
Bald Eagle by Rye Jones, on Flickr
2017 turned out to be a pretty great year and I look forward to what 2018 has in store.
I hope you made it all the way through this. Thanks for looking!