Snakes and spiders in Mobile County, Alabama
Mobile County, home of Mobile, has 19 snake and 23 spider species on record, from 230 licensed snake and 563 spider records. Venomous species here: the northern cottonmouth and the brown widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Mobile County?
Yes. The northern cottonmouth: 19 licensed records, 9% of all Alabama records of it. The brown widow: 6 licensed records, 40% of all Alabama records of it.
What snakes are in Mobile County?
In all, 19 snake species are on the Mobile County list. The most recorded are the southern watersnake (41), the salt marsh snake (31) and the northern cottonmouth (19). Mobile County holds more than half of all Alabama records of the salt marsh snake and the pine woods snake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Alabama records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 41 | 16% |
| 2 | Salt marsh snake Nerodia clarkii | 31 | 91% |
| 3 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 19 | 9% |
| 4 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 15 | 19% |
| 5 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 14 | 10% |
| 6 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 12 | 5% |
| 7 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 8 | 7% |
| 8 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 7 | 3% |
| 9 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 6 | 7% |
| 10 | Pine snake Pituophis melanoleucus | 6 | 10% |
| 11 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 5 | 5% |
| 12 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 4 | 2% |
| 13 | Pine woods snake Rhadinaea flavilata | 3 | 50% |
| 14 | Southeastern crown snake Tantilla coronata | 3 | 3% |
| 15 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 2 | 2% |
| 16 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 1 | 1% |
| 17 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 1 | 1% |
| 18 | Brahminy blindsnake introduced Indotyphlops braminus | — | — |
| 19 | Speckled kingsnake Lampropeltis holbrooki | — | — |
What spiders are in Mobile County?
In all, 23 spider species are on the Mobile County list. The most recorded are the magnolia green jumper (183), the American golden orb weaver (63) and the twin-flagged jumping spider (54). Mobile County holds more than half of all Alabama records of the magnolia green jumper, the southern house spider and the gray wall jumper.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Alabama records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 183 | 58% |
| 2 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 63 | 45% |
| 3 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 54 | 27% |
| 4 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 31 | 38% |
| 5 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 24 | 27% |
| 6 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 16 | 9% |
| 7 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 16 | 40% |
| 8 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 15 | 36% |
| 9 | Southern house spider Kukulcania hibernalis | 12 | 75% |
| 10 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 12 | 15% |
| 11 | Cribellate spider Metaltella simoni | 11 | 34% |
| 12 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 7 | 7% |
| 13 | Brown widow venomous introduced Latrodectus geometricus | 6 | 40% |
| 14 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 6 | 27% |
| 15 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 5 | 3% |
| 16 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 4 | 20% |
| 17 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 3 | 8% |
| 18 | Pantropical jumper Plexippus paykulli | 3 | 11% |
| 19 | Gray wall jumper Menemerus bivittatus | 2 | 50% |
| 20 | Tigrosa annexa | 2 | 4% |
| 21 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 1 | 6% |
| 22 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | — | — |
| 23 | Santa Rosa wolf spider Arctosa sanctaerosae | — | — |
When are spiders out in Mobile County?
Observation records of spiders in Mobile County run mostly February through October, peaking in May with 18% of them, the same peak as Alabama as a whole.
What stands out in Mobile County
Species for which Mobile County holds a large share of all Alabama records: the salt marsh snake, 91% (31 of 34); the magnolia green jumper, 58% (183 of 314); the American golden orb weaver, 45% (63 of 140); the sylvan jumping spider, 40% (16 of 40); the familiar jumping spider, 38% (31 of 81); the spined micrathena, 36% (15 of 42); the cribellate spider, 34% (11 of 32); the white-banded fishing spider, 27% (24 of 88).
Common in Alabama, not on the Mobile County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Alabama, these do not reach the county list: the northern water snake (916 statewide), the eastern wormsnake (262 statewide), the timber rattlesnake (245 statewide), the plain-bellied watersnake (205 statewide), the eastern copperhead (190 statewide) and the queen snake (188 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Among the spiders most recorded across Alabama, these do not reach the county list: the orchard orbweaver (113 statewide), the nursery web spider (73 statewide) and the arrowhead orbweaver (66 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Mobile County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Alabama list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the corn snake, the eastern hog-nosed snake and the eastern rat snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the southern watersnake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the timber rattlesnake, the pygmy rattlesnake and the eastern diamondback rattlesnake are on the Alabama list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern hog-nosed snake and the pine snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the common house spider. No recluse spiders reach the county list, but the brown recluse is on the Alabama list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the southern house spider.
Mobile County among Alabama counties
By licensed snake records Mobile County ranks 5th of 67 Alabama counties with any.
Other Alabama counties with their own page: Lee County, Baldwin County, Macon County, Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County and Blount County.
The whole state: venomous species in Alabama, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.