Snakes and spiders in Cochise County, Arizona
Cochise County, home of Bisbee, has 39 snake and 50 spider species on record, from 4,158 licensed snake and 540 spider records. Venomous species here: the Mohave rattlesnake, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the black-tailed rattlesnake, the rock rattlesnake, the twin-spotted rattlesnake, the western massasauga, the Sonoran coralsnake, the ridge-nosed rattlesnake, the Arizona black rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Cochise County?
Yes. The Mohave rattlesnake: 596 licensed records, 42% of all Arizona records of it. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 430 licensed records, 24% of all Arizona records of it. The black-tailed rattlesnake: 284 licensed records, 40% of all Arizona records of it. The rock rattlesnake: 131 licensed records, 81% of all Arizona records of it. The twin-spotted rattlesnake: 122 licensed records, 80% of all Arizona records of it. The western massasauga: 80 licensed records, 100% of all Arizona records of it. The Sonoran coralsnake: 73 licensed records, 20% of all Arizona records of it. The ridge-nosed rattlesnake: 45 licensed records, 63% of all Arizona records of it. The Arizona black rattlesnake: 10 licensed records, 4% of all Arizona records of it. The western black widow: 28 licensed records, 10% of all Arizona records of it.
What snakes are in Cochise County?
In all, 39 snake species are on the Cochise County list. The most recorded are the Mohave rattlesnake (596), the western diamondback rattlesnake (430) and the gopher snake (372). Cochise County holds more than half of all Arizona records of the rock rattlesnake, the twin-spotted rattlesnake, the western massasauga and the Big Bend patch-nosed snake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohave rattlesnake venomous Crotalus scutulatus | 596 | 42% |
| 2 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 430 | 24% |
| 3 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 372 | 26% |
| 4 | Black-tailed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus molossus | 284 | 40% |
| 5 | Checkered garter snake Thamnophis marcianus | 222 | 40% |
| 6 | Long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei | 221 | 16% |
| 7 | Sonoran whipsnake Masticophis bilineatus | 179 | 33% |
| 8 | Blackneck garter snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis | 142 | 19% |
| 9 | Rock rattlesnake venomous Crotalus lepidus | 131 | 81% |
| 10 | Twin-spotted rattlesnake venomous Crotalus pricei | 122 | 80% |
| 11 | Western patch-nosed snake Salvadora hexalepis | 111 | 13% |
| 12 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 103 | 17% |
| 13 | Western massasauga venomous Sistrurus tergeminus | 80 | 100% |
| 14 | Sonoran lyre snake Trimorphodon lambda | 79 | 19% |
| 15 | Sonoran coralsnake venomous Micruroides euryxanthus | 73 | 20% |
| 16 | Big Bend patch-nosed snake Salvadora deserticola | 68 | 77% |
| 17 | Desert kingsnake Lampropeltis splendida | 68 | 65% |
| 18 | Plains hog-nosed snake Heterodon nasicus | 67 | 93% |
| 19 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 65 | 9% |
| 20 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 64 | 33% |
| 21 | Eastern patch-nosed snake Salvadora grahamiae | 61 | 43% |
| 22 | Chihuahuan mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis knoblochi | 57 | 61% |
| 23 | Sonoran mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis pyromelana | 47 | 32% |
| 24 | Ridge-nosed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus willardi | 45 | 63% |
| 25 | Plains black-headed snake Tantilla nigriceps | 26 | 76% |
| 26 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 26 | 4% |
| 27 | Green rat snake Senticolis triaspis | 25 | 49% |
| 28 | Chihuahuan hook-nosed snake Gyalopion canum | 19 | 54% |
| 29 | Mexican hog-nose snake Heterodon kennerlyi | 19 | 79% |
| 30 | Mexican garter snake Thamnophis eques | 17 | 19% |
| 31 | Yaqui black-headed snake Tantilla yaquia | 14 | 41% |
| 32 | Southwestern blackhead snake Tantilla hobartsmithi | 13 | 7% |
| 33 | Arizona black rattlesnake venomous Crotalus cerberus | 10 | 4% |
| 34 | Chihuahuan black-headed snake Tantilla wilcoxi | 10 | 48% |
| 35 | Texas blind snake Rena dulcis | 10 | 71% |
| 36 | Western threadsnake Rena humilis | 9 | 2% |
| 37 | California kingsnake Lampropeltis californiae | 5 | 2% |
| 38 | Chihuahuan night snake Hypsiglena jani | 3 | 60% |
| 39 | Desert nightsnake Hypsiglena chlorophaea | 2 | 2% |
When are snakes out in Cochise County?
Observation records of snakes in Cochise County run mostly May through September, peaking in August with 41% of them, the same peak as Arizona as a whole.
What spiders are in Cochise County?
In all, 50 spider species are on the Cochise County list. The most recorded are the desert blond tarantula (55), the western black widow (28) and Phidippus carneus (18). Cochise County holds more than half of all Arizona records of the whitebanded crab spider, Paraphidippus aurantius, Rabidosa santrita and the Chiricahuan gray tarantula.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desert blond tarantula Aphonopelma chalcodes | 55 | 17% |
| 2 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 28 | 10% |
| 3 | Phidippus carneus | 18 | 27% |
| 4 | Rodeo black Aphonopelma vorhiesi | 17 | 49% |
| 5 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 17 | 50% |
| 6 | Giant crab spider Olios giganteus | 16 | 11% |
| 7 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 16 | 64% |
| 8 | Rabidosa santrita | 16 | 73% |
| 9 | Habronattus clypeatus | 14 | 29% |
| 10 | Apache jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus | 11 | 37% |
| 11 | Chiricahuan gray tarantula Aphonopelma gabeli | 11 | 100% |
| 12 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 9 | 6% |
| 13 | Camptocosa parallela | 6 | 12% |
| 14 | Habronattus dossenus | 6 | 43% |
| 15 | Hogna antelucana | 6 | 40% |
| 16 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 6 | 25% |
| 17 | Habronattus geronimoi | 5 | 56% |
| 18 | Western parson spider Herpyllus propinquus | 5 | 56% |
| 19 | Carolina wolf spider Hogna carolinensis | 4 | 5% |
| 20 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 4 | 5% |
| 21 | Pelegrina furcata | 4 | 57% |
| 22 | Phidippus californicus | 4 | 16% |
| 23 | Sassacus papenhoei | 4 | 27% |
| 24 | Agave jumping spider Paraphidippus basalis | 3 | 60% |
| 25 | Colonus hesperus | 3 | 19% |
| 26 | Koch's wolf spider Alopecosa kochi | 3 | 5% |
| 27 | Mexigonus arizonensis | 3 | 43% |
| 28 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 2 | 10% |
| 29 | Chiricahua tarantula Aphonopelma chiricahua | 2 | 100% |
| 30 | Entychides arizonicus | 2 | 25% |
| 31 | Hairy tufted jumping spider Phidippus comatus | 2 | 33% |
| 32 | Lauricius hooki | 2 | 22% |
| 33 | Madera Canyon tarantula Aphonopelma madera | 2 | 50% |
| 34 | Pardosa valens | 2 | 67% |
| 35 | Phidippus toro | 2 | 100% |
| 36 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 2 | 22% |
| 37 | Arizona black hole spider Kukulcania arizonica | 1 | 5% |
| 38 | Desert grass spider Agelenopsis aperta | 1 | 8% |
| 39 | Mallos niveus | 1 | 100% |
| 40 | Stone spider Pardosa lapidicina | 1 | 33% |
| 41 | Varacosa gosiuta | 1 | 25% |
| 42 | Anyphaena pacifica | — | — |
| 43 | Camptocosa texana | — | — |
| 44 | Habronattus conjunctus | — | — |
| 45 | Micaria nye | — | — |
| 46 | Oxyopes tridens | — | — |
| 47 | Pelegrina kastoni | — | — |
| 48 | Phidippus asotus | — | — |
| 49 | Psilochorus utahensis | — | — |
| 50 | Zelotes monachus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Cochise County?
Observation records of spiders in Cochise County run mostly June through October, peaking in August with 28% of them, the same peak as Arizona as a whole.
What stands out in Cochise County
Species for which Cochise County holds a large share of all Arizona records: the western massasauga, 100% (80 of 80); the plains hog-nosed snake, 93% (67 of 72); the rock rattlesnake, 81% (131 of 161); the twin-spotted rattlesnake, 80% (122 of 152); the Mexican hog-nose snake, 79% (19 of 24); the Big Bend patch-nosed snake, 77% (68 of 88); the plains black-headed snake, 76% (26 of 34); Rabidosa santrita, 73% (16 of 22).
Common in Arizona, not on the Cochise County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Arizona, these do not reach the county list: the sidewinder (875 statewide) and the western terrestrial garter snake (728 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 Arizona, these do not reach the county list: the shoreline wolf spider (46 statewide) and the hirsute paradise spider (39 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Cochise County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake and the plains hog-nosed snake. Coral snakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the long-nosed snake and the Sonoran mountain kingsnake.
Cochise County among Arizona counties
By licensed snake records Cochise County ranks 2nd of 15 Arizona counties with any.
Other Arizona counties with their own page: Pima County, Maricopa County, Pinal County, Santa Cruz County, Yavapai County, Coconino County, Yuma County and Graham County.
The whole state: venomous species in Arizona, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.