Snakes and spiders in Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County, home of Kingman, has 20 snake and 9 spider species on record, from 420 licensed snake and 276 spider records. Venomous species here: the Mohave rattlesnake, the southwestern speckled rattlesnake, the sidewinder, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the western rattlesnake, the Arizona black rattlesnake, the black-tailed rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Mohave County?
Yes. The Mohave rattlesnake: 44 licensed records, 3% of all Arizona records of it. The southwestern speckled rattlesnake: 32 licensed records, 17% of all Arizona records of it. The sidewinder: 23 licensed records, 3% of all Arizona records of it. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 18 licensed records, 1% of all Arizona records of it. The western rattlesnake: 14 licensed records, 12% of all Arizona records of it. The Arizona black rattlesnake: 8 licensed records, 4% of all Arizona records of it. The black-tailed rattlesnake: 8 licensed records, 1% of all Arizona records of it. The western black widow: 3 licensed records, 1% of all Arizona records of it.
What snakes are in Mohave County?
In all, 20 snake species are on the Mohave County list. The most recorded are the Mohave rattlesnake (44), the coachwhip (32) and the southwestern speckled rattlesnake (32).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohave rattlesnake venomous Crotalus scutulatus | 44 | 3% |
| 2 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 32 | 5% |
| 3 | Southwestern speckled rattlesnake venomous Crotalus pyrrhus | 32 | 17% |
| 4 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 28 | 4% |
| 5 | Long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei | 28 | 2% |
| 6 | Western patch-nosed snake Salvadora hexalepis | 26 | 3% |
| 7 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 25 | 2% |
| 8 | Sidewinder venomous Crotalus cerastes | 23 | 3% |
| 9 | Spotted leaf-nosed snake Phyllorhynchus decurtatus | 22 | 6% |
| 10 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 18 | 1% |
| 11 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 18 | 3% |
| 12 | Striped whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus | 16 | 13% |
| 13 | Western rattlesnake venomous Crotalus oreganus | 14 | 12% |
| 14 | Arizona black rattlesnake venomous Crotalus cerberus | 8 | 4% |
| 15 | Black-tailed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus molossus | 8 | 1% |
| 16 | Blackneck garter snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis | 8 | 1% |
| 17 | California kingsnake Lampropeltis californiae | 8 | 3% |
| 18 | Sonoran mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis pyromelana | 8 | 5% |
| 19 | Desert nightsnake Hypsiglena chlorophaea | — | — |
| 20 | Northern three-lined boa Lichanura orcutti | — | — |
When are snakes out in Mohave County?
Observation records of snakes in Mohave County run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 24% of them; across Arizona the peak is August.
What spiders are in Mohave County?
In all, 9 spider species are on the Mohave County list. The most recorded are Psilochorus utahensis (3), the western black widow (3) and the banded garden spider (1). Mohave County holds more than half of all Arizona records of Psilochorus utahensis.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psilochorus utahensis | 3 | 50% |
| 2 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 3 | 1% |
| 3 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 1 | 5% |
| 4 | Bay Area blonde Aphonopelma iodius | — | — |
| 5 | Camptocosa parallela | — | — |
| 6 | Desert blond tarantula Aphonopelma chalcodes | — | — |
| 7 | Giant crab spider Olios giganteus | — | — |
| 8 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | — | — |
| 9 | Syspira longipes | — | — |
What stands out in Mohave County
Species for which Mohave County holds a large share of all Arizona records: the southwestern speckled rattlesnake, 17% (32 of 186).
Common in Arizona, not on the Mohave County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Arizona, these do not reach the county list: 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 western spotted orbweaver (153 statewide), the Carolina wolf spider (80 statewide), the green lynx spider (73 statewide), Phidippus carneus (66 statewide), the Koch's wolf spider (63 statewide) and Habronattus clypeatus (49 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Mohave County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, but the Sonoran coralsnake is on the Arizona list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the long-nosed snake and the Sonoran mountain kingsnake.
Mohave County among Arizona counties
By licensed snake records Mohave County ranks 10th of 15 Arizona counties with any.
Other Arizona counties with their own page: Pima County, Cochise County, Maricopa County, Pinal County, Santa Cruz County, Yavapai County, Coconino County and Yuma 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.