{"id":676481,"date":"2026-03-23T17:43:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T17:43:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/676481\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T17:43:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T17:43:16","slug":"video-mojave-green-rattlesnake-is-a-poppy-field-surprise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/676481\/","title":{"rendered":"Video: Mojave ‘green’ rattlesnake is a poppy field surprise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Your next visit to California\u2019s poppy fields may come with a rattling surprise.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, Times photographer Raul Roa captured a rattlesnake hidden beneath a bed of poppies south of Highway 138 in Lancaster. In the video, the snake flicks its tongue, a common sensory behavior used to detect chemical cues in the air and identify nearby prey or potential predators<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The snake appeared to be a Mojave rattlesnake, often called a \u201cMojave green,\u201d known to inhabit areas of the Antelope Valley, which is part of the Western Mojave Desert. <\/p>\n

About 50 rattlesnake species can be found in California, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife<\/a>. Only seven native rattlesnake species are venomous in California, including the Mojave, Western diamondback, red diamond, Southern Pacific, Northern Pacific, Great Basin, and the speckled rattlesnake.<\/p>\n

Depending on the species, rattlesnakes can grow to be 1 to 8 feet long and weigh up to 10 pounds, according to the Los Angeles Zoo<\/a>. Despite its potential danger, the snake typically avoids confrontation.<\/p>\n

\u201cUpon encountering humans, the snakes\u2019 first inclination is to slink away, but they will strike if suddenly disturbed or cornered,\u201d a 1991 Times report<\/a> said.<\/p>\n

Rattlesnakes are typically most active in spring and summer, but encounters have been reported earlier this year, raising safety concerns. <\/p>\n

Last month, a 25-year-old man died after a suspected rattlesnake bite<\/a> on a hiking trail in Irvine, and on Friday a teenage girl in Ventura County<\/a> survived a bite with minor injuries.<\/p>\n

For visitors heading to the poppy fields<\/a>, currently in peak bloom through May, here\u2019s what to do if you encounter a snake.<\/p>\n

Stay back from the flowers<\/p>\n

Were you hoping to wade into the blooms, perhaps plop down in your summer shorts and snap a photo for social? Experts advise against it.<\/p>\n

\u201cRattlesnakes are in the fields!\u201d warn park officials from the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.<\/a> They tell hikers, first of all, to stay on the marked trails. <\/p>\n

As you head along the trail, walk slowly. Rattlesnakes can often be heard before they\u2019re spotted<\/a>. Stay alert. <\/p>\n

Avoid heading into the field to take pictures. Rattlesnakes are known to hide among dense vegetation<\/a>, in this case the poppies. <\/p>\n

Keep children close, and don\u2019t bring your dog to the reserve. Only service dogs wearing distinguishing markers are allowed at the park. <\/p>\n

If you spot a rattlesnake on the trail, alert park staff. Run-ins with snakes are especially common during warm days, both in the daytime and in the evenings, according to park officials. <\/p>\n

What to do if you are bitten<\/p>\n

There are some precautions you can take before you head to the flower fields or the hiking trail.<\/p>\n

Have a map<\/a> in hand. <\/p>\n

Rattlesnake bites are most common on the hands, feet, and ankles<\/a>. Wear ankle-high boots, thick socks, and loose-fitting pants<\/a>. Avoid walking on the trail barefoot or in open-toed shoes. <\/p>\n

Make sure to carry a charged cellphone. If you\u2019re bitten, call 911 immediately. <\/p>\n

According to the UC Davis Health Center<\/a>, you should not apply ice or a tourniquet, or attempt to suck out the venom or use a device to cut the affected area. <\/p>\n

Avoid taking painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>. And don\u2019t consume<\/a> any alcohol or caffeine.<\/p>\n

If possible, wash the wound with soap and water; avoid using antiseptic wipes, which may irritate the wound. Remove wristwatches and rings on fingers in case of swelling, the UC Davis Health Center advises. <\/p>\n

Try to remain calm until you receive medical attention, and remember that fatal bites are exceedingly rare. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your next visit to California\u2019s poppy fields may come with a rattling surprise. On Sunday, Times photographer Raul…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":676482,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5123],"tags":[1582,276,6517,24655,10713,2327,235831,2961,224,5337,101730,127854,285120,285118,15087,285119,27891,989,281971],"class_list":["post-676481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-ca","tag-california","tag-case","tag-dog","tag-foot","tag-hand","tag-hiking-trail","tag-la","tag-los-angeles","tag-losangeles","tag-mojave","tag-park-official","tag-peak-bloom","tag-poppy-field-surprise","tag-rattlesnake","tag-rattlesnake-specie","tag-snake","tag-video","tag-wound"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116279732289108206","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=676481"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676481\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/676482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=676481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=676481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=676481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}