Columnist Barb Henderson: A look at six rattlesnakes found around Clark County

Barb Henderson

Friday, May 2, 2003 | 10:34 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Six of Nevada's 26 species of snakes are rattlesnakes.

If it rattles, it's a rattlesnake and poses a threat. Don't depend on hearing that rattle -- not all rattlesnakes rattle all the time.

Bob McKeever's 40 years of interest in amphibians and reptiles, including rattlesnakes, began as a young pre-teen. He's at a loss to explain what attracted him to the critters in the first place, but his interest grew by leaps and bounds.

McKeever, who is a professional photographer and a retired National Park Service ranger, eagerly shared his knowledge and expertise on these six snakes.

Three species most commonly in and around the Las Vegas Valley, Boulder City area, Lake Mead area, and lands adjacent to these areas are:

The other three rattlesnakes found in Nevada are not widespread in Clark County. The chances of encountering one of these snakes depend upon being in the right (or wrong) place at the right time.

With the exception of the Western Diamond-backed, all of our native rattlers have ranges in Nevada that expand beyond Clark County.

"They hibernate during the coldest winter months and become active when daytime temperatures warm into the 70s or so," said McKeever. "They're most commonly found during daylight hours from March to late-May and again in September to October. They are also quite active after dark in the spring and summer. It's best to use a flashlight when in rattler country at night during those times.

"The most effective strategy to employ when you encounter a snake is to simply give it as wide a berth as possible. "Occasionally a snake will advance toward a person but they are not fast and can be easily avoided. They will defend themselves if pressed, and their only effective defense is to bite."

For the most part, human encounters with these venomous snakes are rare.