Did you spot the problem with picking up the wrench in this morning’s photo?

Here’s why you want to stay away: there’s an Eastern Copperhead snake right there (Agkistrodon contortrix). I’ve circled it, but it’s not hard to see.

Did you spot the horned “toad” this morning? Robert Lang sent two reveal photos; I’ve put them below.  You can see how camouflaged they are!

We’re seriously low on readers’ wildlife photos, so I implore you to send in any good photos you have. Thanks!

If you know some biology, you probably realized that “horned toads” are not toads at all, but lizards (genus Phrynosoma). They are disappearing due to human incursion into their habitats and competition from fire ants, who displace the non-fire ants that are the lizards’ normal diet. But reader Robert Lang has photographed one for the “spot the” photo below.  Robert’s words are indented.

We’ve had a relatively cool, wet spring in Southern California, but we’ve now had a series of warm days, which have brought out both wildflowers and wild fauna. The flora and some of the fauna will go into an upcoming Reader’s Wildlife Photos, but I wanted to share one sighting of a relatively uncommon creature: a Blainville’s Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), also called the San Diego horned lizard, but here in the San Gabriels, we’re rather far from San Diego. They used to be quite common, but a combination of rampant collection for the novelty trade in the early 20th century, plus changes in habitat (e.g., non-native ants pushing out the native species that they primarily eat) has reduced their numbers considerably. I’ve seen them occasionally on one particular ridge above Altadena, and was pleased to see one today. They have great camouflage for this terrain; can you see this one here?

Click the photo to enlarge it if you must, but try to spot it first. The reveal will be at noon Chicago time.