Month by month

What Reptiles and Amphibians Are Out in California in August

95 reptiles and amphibians are active in California in August, and 69 are at peak. Peak species include the Western Fence Lizard, Common Side-blotched Lizard, Pacific Chorus Frog, and Southern Alligator Lizard.

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

Full 12-month California calendar Pick your ecoregion

Species out across California, by group and month

Group
Snakes	9	27	33	37	38	38	37	38	36	32	23	8
Lizards	17	27	33	37	38	38	36	36	35	32	22	13
Turtles	2	2	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	2	2
Frogs and Toads	7	9	9	9	11	11	11	11	10	9	7	7
Salamanders	20	20	19	18	13	10	7	7	10	18	20	20

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

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At peak in August 69

Snakes

peak

SnakesAquatic Garter SnakeThamnophis atratus

peak

SnakesBrahminy BlindsnakeIndotyphlops braminus

introduced

peak

SnakesCalifornia King SnakeLampropeltis californiae

peak

SnakesCalifornia LyresnakeTrimorphodon lyrophanes

peak

SnakesCalifornia Mountain KingsnakeLampropeltis zonata

peak

SnakesCoast Mountain KingsnakeLampropeltis multifasciata

peak

SnakesCoast Night SnakeHypsiglena ochrorhynchus

peak

SnakesCommon CoachwhipMasticophis flagellum

peak

SnakesCommon Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis

peak

SnakesDesert NightsnakeHypsiglena chlorophaea

peak

SnakesForest Sharp-tailed SnakeContia longicauda

peak

SnakesLong-nosed SnakeRhinocheilus lecontei

peak

SnakesMojave RattlesnakeCrotalus scutulatus

venomous

peak

SnakesNorth American RacerColuber constrictor

peak

SnakesNorthern Rubber BoaCharina bottae

peak

SnakesNorthwestern Garter SnakeThamnophis ordinoides

peak

SnakesRed Diamond RattlesnakeCrotalus ruber

venomous

peak

SnakesSidewinderCrotalus cerastes

venomous

peak

SnakesSierra Garter SnakeThamnophis couchii

peak

SnakesSouthwestern Speckled RattlesnakeCrotalus pyrrhus

venomous

peak

SnakesStriped RacerMasticophis lateralis

peak

SnakesStriped WhipsnakeMasticophis taeniatus

peak

SnakesTwo-striped Garter SnakeThamnophis hammondii

peak

SnakesWestern Black-headed SnakeTantilla planiceps

peak

SnakesWestern Diamond-backed RattlesnakeCrotalus atrox

venomous

peak

SnakesWestern Glossy SnakeArizona occidentalis

peak

SnakesWestern RattlesnakeCrotalus oreganus

venomous

peak

SnakesWestern Terrestrial Garter SnakeThamnophis elegans

peak

SnakesWestern ThreadsnakeRena humilis

Lizards

peak

LizardsBlainville's Horned LizardPhrynosoma blainvillii

peak

LizardsBrown AnoleAnolis sagrei

introduced

peak

LizardsCommon Sagebrush LizardSceloporus graciosus

peak

LizardsCommon Side-blotched LizardUta stansburiana

peak

LizardsDesert Spiny LizardSceloporus magister

peak

LizardsGranite Night LizardXantusia henshawi

peak

LizardsGranite Spiny LizardSceloporus orcutti

peak

LizardsGreen AnoleAnolis carolinensis

introduced

peak

LizardsIsland Fence LizardSceloporus becki

peak

LizardsItalian Wall LizardPodarcis siculus

introduced

peak

LizardsLong-tailed Brush LizardUrosaurus graciosus

peak

LizardsMediterranean House GeckoHemidactylus turcicus

introduced

peak

LizardsMoorish GeckoTarentola mauritanica

introduced

peak

LizardsNorthern Alligator LizardElgaria coerulea

peak

LizardsOrange-throated WhiptailAspidoscelis hyperythrus

peak

LizardsOrnate Tree LizardUrosaurus ornatus

peak

LizardsPeninsular Leaf-toed GeckoPhyllodactylus nocticolus

peak

LizardsSonoran Spotted WhiptailAspidoscelis sonorae

introduced

peak

LizardsSouthern Alligator LizardElgaria multicarinata

peak

LizardsSouthern Sagebrush LizardSceloporus vandenburgianus

peak

LizardsWestern Banded GeckoColeonyx variegatus

peak

LizardsWestern Fence LizardSceloporus occidentalis

peak

LizardsWestern WhiptailAspidoscelis tigris

Turtles

peak

TurtlesFlorida Softshell TurtleApalone ferox

introduced

peak

TurtlesPond SliderTrachemys scripta

introduced

peak

TurtlesSpiny SoftshellApalone spinifera

introduced

Frogs and Toads

peak

Frogs and ToadsAfrican Clawed FrogXenopus laevis

introduced

peak

Frogs and ToadsAmerican BullfrogLithobates catesbeianus

introduced

peak

Frogs and ToadsCalifornia Tree FrogPseudacris cadaverina

peak

Frogs and ToadsCascades FrogRana cascadae

peak

Frogs and ToadsCoastal Tailed FrogAscaphus truei

peak

Frogs and ToadsGreat Basin SpadefootSpea intermontana

peak

Frogs and ToadsNorthern Red-legged FrogRana aurora

peak

Frogs and ToadsPacific Chorus FrogPseudacris regilla

peak

Frogs and ToadsRed-spotted ToadAnaxyrus punctatus

peak

Frogs and ToadsWestern ToadAnaxyrus boreas

peak

Frogs and ToadsWoodhouse's ToadAnaxyrus woodhousii

Salamanders

peak

SalamandersCalifornia Giant SalamanderDicamptodon ensatus

peak

SalamandersMount Lyell SalamanderHydromantes platycephalus

peak

SalamandersPacific Giant SalamanderDicamptodon tenebrosus

Shoulder season in August 26

Snakes

shoulder

SnakesCoastal Rosy BoaLichanura orcutti

shoulder

SnakesColorado Desert Shovelnose SnakeSonora annulata

shoulder

SnakesCommon Sharp-tailed SnakeContia tenuis

shoulder

SnakesGopher SnakePituophis catenifer

shoulder

SnakesMojave Shovelnose SnakeSonora occipitalis

shoulder

SnakesPanamint RattlesnakeCrotalus stephensi

venomous

shoulder

SnakesRing-necked SnakeDiadophis punctatus

shoulder

SnakesWestern Leaf-nosed SnakePhyllorhynchus decurtatus

shoulder

SnakesWestern Patch-nosed SnakeSalvadora hexalepis

Lizards

shoulder

LizardsBanded Rock LizardPetrosaurus mearnsi

shoulder

LizardsCommon ChuckwallaSauromalus ater

shoulder

LizardsDesert Collared LizardCrotaphytus bicinctores

shoulder

LizardsDesert Horned LizardPhrynosoma platyrhinos

shoulder

LizardsDesert IguanaDipsosaurus dorsalis

shoulder

LizardsDesert Night LizardXantusia vigilis

shoulder

LizardsGilbert's SkinkPlestiodon gilberti

shoulder

LizardsLong-nosed Leopard LizardGambelia wislizenii

shoulder

LizardsMojave Fringe-toed LizardUma scoparia

shoulder

LizardsNorthern Legless LizardAnniella pulchra

shoulder

LizardsSan Diegan Legless LizardAnniella stebbinsi

shoulder

LizardsWestern SkinkPlestiodon skiltonianus

shoulder

LizardsZebra-tailed LizardCallisaurus draconoides

Salamanders

shoulder

SalamandersLong-toed SalamanderAmbystoma macrodactylum

shoulder

SalamandersRough-skinned NewtTaricha granulosa

shoulder

SalamandersSanta Lucia Mountains Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps luciae

shoulder

SalamandersWandering SalamanderAneides vagrans

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.

California in August

What reptiles and amphibians are out in California in August?

Are venomous snakes active in California in August?

Yes. The Western Rattlesnake, Red Diamond Rattlesnake, Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Mojave Rattlesnake, Panamint Rattlesnake, and Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake can be active in August. Watch where you step and don't handle them.