From my perspective there are worse things in the iris beds than
grasshoppers and leaf spot, aggravating as they are. I guess this one might
actually be beneficial for the iris depending on whether it eats
grasshoppers or not, but if I fail to notice it then the consequences for me
would be unpleasant. Been there, done that - with a copperhead. Hopefully
won't happen with a diamondback rattler. Rattlesnake bites tend to be more
severe than copperhead bites. In any case, he had taken shelter in the
shade of the big pot in the bed just outside my garage. The larger photo is
the detail out of the smaller photo. It's really amazing how well they
blend in. This is a sand bed. Those beds with a clay/soil surface
scattered with some dead oak leaves would make it even more
indistinguishable to the eye. So here's my annual warning for those where
these critters may hang out. Keep a watchful eye open. I'll be alert for a
day or two and then it'll wear off a bit.

Donald Eaves
d*@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7b, USA