NO. 052
Reptile guests
Timber rattlesnake
Dark zigzag bands across the body
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NO. 051
Illustration · not shown at life size
Illustration · not shown at life sizeReptile guests / Snake
Eastern massasauga rattlesnake
Sistrurus catenatus
Big dark blotches help this small rattlesnake blend into wetland plants. Its rattle is a warning to give it room.
Native to southeastern Wisconsin historically, but now extremely rare and absent from many former sites. This is a Wisconsin reptile guest, not an everyday neighborhood find.
Let’s look closerLittle clues
Three things to notice.
Dark blotches along a thick body.
A small rattle at the tail tip.
Hunts mice and other small animals.
Out in the world
Where it lives.
A rare Wisconsin wetland native
Wet meadows and marsh edges, with nearby drier ground.
When to look
Active during the warmer months; shelters underground through winter.
Look only from a distance with a grownup. Never touch, approach, or try to move a snake.
A closer look
One clue is just the start.
Compare its separate dark blotches with the timber rattlesnake’s bands. Patterns vary, so this illustration is not a safe way to identify a snake you find.
This species faces a real conservation threat. Encounters depend on season and habitat.
Keep exploring
Meet the neighbors.
For curious grownups, too
Read a little further.
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Eastern massasauga
- Wisconsin DNR — Eastern massasauga
- Wisconsin Herpetological Association — Rattlesnakes in Wisconsin
Original summaries, with references for deeper reading.
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Artwork & downloads.
Drag a PNG image into xTool Studio, or use its download button. Images use the full-resolution files.
Relief depth PNG — prototype
Matches this front · dark lettering 0.5 mm, outline 0.1 mm at 1 mm maximum
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Front artwork is made for a 3-inch clear disc. Revised artwork still needs a physical check. Disc backs are blank; use the single carrier QR from the print studio to open the field guide.
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