Month by month

What Reptiles and Amphibians Are Out in Arizona in August

80 reptiles and amphibians are active in Arizona in August, and 69 are at peak. Peak species include the Ornate Tree Lizard, Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Desert Spiny Lizard, and Yarrow's Spiny Lizard.

Counted from iNaturalist research-grade observations recorded inside Arizona. Seasons shift across the state, so for a closer match, pick your ecoregion.

Full 12-month Arizona calendar Pick your ecoregion

Species out across Arizona, by group and month

Group
Snakes	1	6	15	29	32	34	35	35	34	31	11	2
Lizards	5	10	24	31	32	30	30	31	30	24	12	5
Turtles	1	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	1
Frogs and Toads	1	3	5	5	7	12	12	12	12	10	5	1

Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).

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At peak in August 69

Snakes

peak

SnakesArizona Black RattlesnakeCrotalus cerberus

venomous

peak

SnakesBig Bend Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora deserticola

peak

SnakesBlack-necked Garter SnakeThamnophis cyrtopsis

peak

SnakesCalifornia King SnakeLampropeltis californiae

peak

SnakesCheckered Garter SnakeThamnophis marcianus

peak

SnakesChihuahuan Mountain KingsnakeLampropeltis knoblochi

peak

SnakesCommon CoachwhipMasticophis flagellum

peak

SnakesDesert KingsnakeLampropeltis splendida

peak

SnakesDesert NightsnakeHypsiglena chlorophaea

peak

SnakesGlossy SnakeArizona elegans

peak

SnakesGopher SnakePituophis catenifer

peak

SnakesGreen Rat SnakeSenticolis triaspis

peak

SnakesLong-nosed SnakeRhinocheilus lecontei

peak

SnakesMexican Hognose SnakeHeterodon kennerlyi

peak

SnakesMojave RattlesnakeCrotalus scutulatus

venomous

peak

SnakesMountain Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora grahamiae

peak

SnakesPrairie RattlesnakeCrotalus viridis

venomous

peak

SnakesRing-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus

peak

SnakesSaddled Leafnose SnakePhyllorhynchus browni

peak

SnakesSidewinderCrotalus cerastes

venomous

peak

SnakesSonoran CoralsnakeMicruroides euryxanthus

venomous

peak

SnakesSonoran WhipsnakeMasticophis bilineatus

peak

SnakesSouthwestern Blackhead SnakeTantilla hobartsmithi

peak

SnakesSouthwestern Speckled RattlesnakeCrotalus pyrrhus

venomous

peak

SnakesStriped WhipsnakeMasticophis taeniatus

peak

SnakesTiger RattlesnakeCrotalus tigris

venomous

peak

SnakesWestern Black-tailed RattlesnakeCrotalus molossus

venomous

peak

SnakesWestern Diamond-backed RattlesnakeCrotalus atrox

venomous

peak

SnakesWestern Glossy SnakeArizona occidentalis

peak

SnakesWestern Terrestrial Garter SnakeThamnophis elegans

Lizards

peak

LizardsClark's Spiny LizardSceloporus clarkii

peak

LizardsCommon Sagebrush LizardSceloporus graciosus

peak

LizardsDesert Grassland WhiptailAspidoscelis uniparens

peak

LizardsDesert IguanaDipsosaurus dorsalis

peak

LizardsDesert Spiny LizardSceloporus magister

peak

LizardsElegant Earless LizardHolbrookia elegans

peak

LizardsGreater Earless LizardCophosaurus texanus

peak

LizardsGreater Short-horned LizardPhrynosoma hernandesi

peak

LizardsKeeled Rock GeckoCyrtopodion scabrum

introduced

peak

LizardsLong-nosed Leopard LizardGambelia wislizenii

peak

LizardsMadrean Alligator LizardElgaria kingii

peak

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

peak

LizardsOrnate Tree LizardUrosaurus ornatus

peak

LizardsPlateau Fence LizardSceloporus tristichus

peak

LizardsPlateau Striped WhiptailAspidoscelis velox

peak

LizardsRegal Horned LizardPhrynosoma solare

peak

LizardsSonoran Horned LizardPhrynosoma goodei

peak

LizardsSonoran Spotted WhiptailAspidoscelis sonorae

peak

LizardsSouthwestern Fence LizardSceloporus cowlesi

peak

LizardsStriped Plateau LizardSceloporus virgatus

peak

LizardsTexas Horned LizardPhrynosoma cornutum

peak

LizardsWestern Banded GeckoColeonyx variegatus

peak

LizardsWestern Earless LizardHolbrookia maculata

peak

LizardsWestern WhiptailAspidoscelis tigris

peak

LizardsYarrow's Spiny LizardSceloporus jarrovii

peak

LizardsZebra-tailed LizardCallisaurus draconoides

Turtles

peak

TurtlesSpiny SoftshellApalone spinifera

introduced

Frogs and Toads

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

introduced

peak

Frogs and ToadsArizona Tree FrogDryophytes wrightorum

peak

Frogs and ToadsCanyon Tree FrogDryophytes arenicolor

peak

Frogs and ToadsChihuahuan Green ToadAnaxyrus debilis

peak

Frogs and ToadsCouch's SpadefootScaphiopus couchii

peak

Frogs and ToadsGreat Plains ToadAnaxyrus cognatus

peak

Frogs and ToadsLowland Leopard FrogLithobates yavapaiensis

peak

Frogs and ToadsMazatlan Narrow-mouthed ToadGastrophryne mazatlanensis

peak

Frogs and ToadsMexican SpadefootSpea multiplicata

peak

Frogs and ToadsRed-spotted ToadAnaxyrus punctatus

peak

Frogs and ToadsSonoran Desert ToadIncilius alvarius

peak

Frogs and ToadsWoodhouse's ToadAnaxyrus woodhousii

Shoulder season in August 11

Snakes

shoulder

SnakesBanded Sand SnakeSonora cincta

shoulder

SnakesGround SnakeSonora semiannulata

shoulder

SnakesWestern Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora hexalepis

shoulder

SnakesWestern RattlesnakeCrotalus oreganus

venomous

shoulder

SnakesWestern ThreadsnakeRena humilis

Lizards

shoulder

LizardsCommon ChuckwallaSauromalus ater

shoulder

LizardsCommon Side-blotched LizardUta stansburiana

shoulder

LizardsDesert Collared LizardCrotaphytus bicinctores

shoulder

LizardsDesert Horned LizardPhrynosoma platyrhinos

shoulder

LizardsEastern Collared LizardCrotaphytus collaris

Turtles

shoulder

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

introduced

Peak and shoulder ratings are rough guidance, not a schedule. Weather, elevation and the year can shift any species by weeks.

Rare and protected species are left off on purpose. Look, don't take, and never handle a venomous snake.

Arizona in August

What reptiles and amphibians are out in Arizona in August?

Are venomous snakes active in Arizona in August?

Yes. The Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake, Western Black-tailed Rattlesnake, Mojave Rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Tiger Rattlesnake, Arizona Black Rattlesnake, Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, Sonoran Coralsnake, Western Rattlesnake, and Prairie Rattlesnake can be active in August. Watch where you step and don't handle them.