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A rattlesnake is coiled up in plain sight. But can you spot it in this Arizona photo?

Can you find the rattlesnake hiding in this Arizona garden photo shared on Facebook? Many couldn’t.
Can you find the rattlesnake hiding in this Arizona garden photo shared on Facebook? Many couldn’t. Rattlesnake Solutions photo

The around dozen species of rattlesnakes roaming Arizona are masters of disguise, and a scary example was posted on Facebook by one Phoenix-based snake catching service.

It was a single image of well-tended garden, posing a vague challenge.

“See it? What is it?” Rattlesnake Solutions asked in the Dec. 21 post.

Some claimed they did spot something: a rattlesnake. Many others said they didn’t see anything.

“Where in #*% is it!?” Marylouise Bennett posted.

“Camo level: expert,” John Lewis wrote.

The service posted another photo that day, revealing a snake coiled plain sight. To prove it, Rattlesnake Solutions blew up that spot in the photo and circled it in red.

The snake was identified as a western diamondback in a Dec. 21 Facebook post.
The snake was identified as a western diamondback in a Dec. 21 Facebook post. Rattlesnake Solutions Facebook photo

“The answer to that last post: a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake hiding in the filtered light of the landscaping,” the company wrote.

“There’s evidence in the photo, too, of rodent activity along the wall of the building. This combination of cover, food, water, access, and location means a rattlesnake visit from time to time is a sure thing.”

Commenters on the revelation included people who admitted they got it wrong, believing they located the snake’s hiding spot.

“How scary they blend in so good,” Stephanie Ann Ybanez wrote on Facebook.

“Sneaky snake!” Rorii Dogun posted.

Rattlesnake Solutions did not release details of the service call that led to the photo, but the company makes a practice of capturing rattlesnakes alive and releasing them in wilderness areas.

Western diamondbacks are a “heavy-bodied” snake that average 3 to 5 feet in length in Arizona, according to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. However, some as long as 7 feet have been found.

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This story was originally published December 27, 2023 at 8:04 AM with the headline "A rattlesnake is coiled up in plain sight. But can you spot it in this Arizona photo?."

MP
Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a state reporter for The Charlotte Observer and McClatchy News outlets in North Carolina. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. 
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