Snakes and spiders in Santa Cruz County, Arizona
Santa Cruz County, home of Nogales, has 32 snake and 27 spider species on record, from 1,154 licensed snake and 273 spider records. Venomous species here: the black-tailed rattlesnake, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the Mohave rattlesnake, the Sonoran coralsnake, the rock rattlesnake, the tiger rattlesnake, the ridge-nosed rattlesnake, the twin-spotted rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Santa Cruz County?
Yes. The black-tailed rattlesnake: 100 licensed records, 14% of all Arizona records of it. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 69 licensed records, 4% of all Arizona records of it. The Mohave rattlesnake: 47 licensed records, 3% of all Arizona records of it. The Sonoran coralsnake: 40 licensed records, 11% of all Arizona records of it. The rock rattlesnake: 28 licensed records, 17% of all Arizona records of it. The tiger rattlesnake: 27 licensed records, 8% of all Arizona records of it. The ridge-nosed rattlesnake: 21 licensed records, 30% of all Arizona records of it. The twin-spotted rattlesnake: 8 licensed records, 5% of all Arizona records of it. The western black widow: 13 licensed records, 4% of all Arizona records of it.
What snakes are in Santa Cruz County?
In all, 32 snake species are on the Santa Cruz County list. The most recorded are the blackneck garter snake (133), the black-tailed rattlesnake (100) and the Sonoran whipsnake (73). Santa Cruz County holds more than half of all Arizona records of the desert hooknose snake, the brown vinesnake, the Yaqui black-headed snake and the Chihuahuan black-headed snake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blackneck garter snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis | 133 | 18% |
| 2 | Black-tailed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus molossus | 100 | 14% |
| 3 | Sonoran whipsnake Masticophis bilineatus | 73 | 13% |
| 4 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 69 | 4% |
| 5 | Western patch-nosed snake Salvadora hexalepis | 54 | 6% |
| 6 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 49 | 3% |
| 7 | Mohave rattlesnake venomous Crotalus scutulatus | 47 | 3% |
| 8 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 43 | 7% |
| 9 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 40 | 20% |
| 10 | Sonoran coralsnake venomous Micruroides euryxanthus | 40 | 11% |
| 11 | Eastern patch-nosed snake Salvadora grahamiae | 38 | 27% |
| 12 | Long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei | 34 | 2% |
| 13 | Sonoran lyre snake Trimorphodon lambda | 32 | 8% |
| 14 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 31 | 5% |
| 15 | Rock rattlesnake venomous Crotalus lepidus | 28 | 17% |
| 16 | Desert hooknose snake Gyalopion quadrangulare | 27 | 96% |
| 17 | Tiger rattlesnake venomous Crotalus tigris | 27 | 8% |
| 18 | Brown vinesnake Oxybelis aeneus | 23 | 100% |
| 19 | Checkered garter snake Thamnophis marcianus | 22 | 4% |
| 20 | Ridge-nosed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus willardi | 21 | 30% |
| 21 | Chihuahuan mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis knoblochi | 20 | 22% |
| 22 | Mexican garter snake Thamnophis eques | 20 | 23% |
| 23 | Sonoran mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis pyromelana | 19 | 13% |
| 24 | Yaqui black-headed snake Tantilla yaquia | 18 | 53% |
| 25 | Green rat snake Senticolis triaspis | 16 | 31% |
| 26 | Big Bend patch-nosed snake Salvadora deserticola | 12 | 14% |
| 27 | Chihuahuan black-headed snake Tantilla wilcoxi | 11 | 52% |
| 28 | Chihuahuan hook-nosed snake Gyalopion canum | 10 | 29% |
| 29 | Desert nightsnake Hypsiglena chlorophaea | 10 | 9% |
| 30 | Twin-spotted rattlesnake venomous Crotalus pricei | 8 | 5% |
| 31 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 5 | 1% |
| 32 | Desert kingsnake Lampropeltis splendida | 4 | 4% |
When are snakes out in Santa Cruz County?
Observation records of snakes in Santa Cruz County run mostly April through October, peaking in August with 37% of them, the same peak as Arizona as a whole.
What spiders are in Santa Cruz County?
In all, 27 spider species are on the Santa Cruz County list. The most recorded are the desert blond tarantula (23), the western black widow (13) and the Apache jumping spider (12). Santa Cruz County holds more than half of all Arizona records of the black-and-yellow argiope, Micrathena funebris and Phidippus octopunctatus.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desert blond tarantula Aphonopelma chalcodes | 23 | 7% |
| 2 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 13 | 4% |
| 3 | Apache jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus | 12 | 40% |
| 4 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 10 | 91% |
| 5 | Giant crab spider Olios giganteus | 10 | 7% |
| 6 | Micrathena funebris | 10 | 83% |
| 7 | Sosippus californicus | 10 | 30% |
| 8 | Phidippus carneus | 9 | 14% |
| 9 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 8 | 11% |
| 10 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 8 | 5% |
| 11 | Phidippus octopunctatus | 6 | 67% |
| 12 | Habronattus dossenus | 5 | 36% |
| 13 | Carolina wolf spider Hogna carolinensis | 4 | 5% |
| 14 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 4 | 16% |
| 15 | Rodeo black Aphonopelma vorhiesi | 4 | 11% |
| 16 | Sassacus papenhoei | 4 | 27% |
| 17 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 4 | 12% |
| 18 | Colonus hesperus | 3 | 19% |
| 19 | Rabidosa santrita | 3 | 14% |
| 20 | Hogna antelucana | 2 | 13% |
| 21 | Agave jumping spider Paraphidippus basalis | 1 | 20% |
| 22 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 1 | 5% |
| 23 | Desert red jumping spider Phidippus ardens | 1 | 10% |
| 24 | Habronattus pugillis | 1 | 25% |
| 25 | Madera Canyon tarantula Aphonopelma madera | 1 | 25% |
| 26 | Phidippus asotus | 1 | 12% |
| 27 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | — | — |
When are spiders out in Santa Cruz County?
Observation records of spiders in Santa Cruz County run mostly April through October, peaking in August with 30% of them, the same peak as Arizona as a whole.
What stands out in Santa Cruz County
Species for which Santa Cruz County holds a large share of all Arizona records: the brown vinesnake, 100% (23 of 23); the desert hooknose snake, 96% (27 of 28); the Yaqui black-headed snake, 53% (18 of 34); the Chihuahuan black-headed snake, 52% (11 of 21); the Apache jumping spider, 40% (12 of 30); the green rat snake, 31% (16 of 51); Sosippus californicus, 30% (10 of 33); the ridge-nosed rattlesnake, 30% (21 of 71).
Common in Arizona, not on the Santa Cruz 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 Koch's wolf spider (63 statewide), Camptocosa parallela (49 statewide), Habronattus clypeatus (49 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 Santa Cruz County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher 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.
Santa Cruz County among Arizona counties
By licensed snake records Santa Cruz County ranks 5th of 15 Arizona counties with any.
Other Arizona counties with their own page: Pima County, Cochise County, Maricopa County, Pinal 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.