Snakes and spiders in Tulare County, California
Tulare County, home of Visalia, has 14 snake and 15 spider species on record, from 607 licensed snake and 204 spider records. Venomous species here: the western rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Tulare County?
Yes. The western rattlesnake: 99 licensed records, 2% of all California records of it. The western black widow: 19 licensed records, 2% of all California records of it.
What snakes are in Tulare County?
In all, 14 snake species are on the Tulare County list. The most recorded are the western aquatic garter snake (165), the western rattlesnake (99) and the western terrestrial garter snake (83).
| # | Species | Records | Share of California records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western aquatic garter snake Thamnophis couchii | 165 | 4% |
| 2 | Western rattlesnake venomous Crotalus oreganus | 99 | 2% |
| 3 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 83 | 0% |
| 4 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 62 | 1% |
| 5 | Northern rubber boa Charina bottae | 54 | 8% |
| 6 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 29 | 2% |
| 7 | California mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis zonata | 25 | 5% |
| 8 | California kingsnake Lampropeltis californiae | 21 | 1% |
| 9 | Striped racer Masticophis lateralis | 16 | 1% |
| 10 | Sharp-tailed snake Contia tenuis | 12 | 1% |
| 11 | Southwestern blackhead snake Tantilla hobartsmithi | 9 | 18% |
| 12 | Long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei | 6 | 1% |
| 13 | Coast nightsnake Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus | 4 | 2% |
| 14 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 2 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Tulare County?
Observation records of snakes in Tulare County run mostly March through September, peaking in June with 27% of them; across California the peak is May.
What spiders are in Tulare County?
In all, 15 spider species are on the Tulare County list. The most recorded are the western black widow (19), the giant crab spider (17) and the Johnny Cash tarantula (13). Tulare County holds more than half of all California records of Hypochilus petrunkevitchi.
| # | Species | Records | Share of California records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 19 | 2% |
| 2 | Giant crab spider Olios giganteus | 17 | 28% |
| 3 | Johnny Cash tarantula Aphonopelma johnnycashi | 13 | 38% |
| 4 | Koch's wolf spider Alopecosa kochi | 13 | 1% |
| 5 | Hypochilus petrunkevitchi | 8 | 80% |
| 6 | Marbled cellar spider Holocnemus pluchei | 8 | 1% |
| 7 | Colonus hesperus | 7 | 1% |
| 8 | California flattened jumping spider Platycryptus californicus | 4 | 3% |
| 9 | Johnson jumper Phidippus johnsoni | 4 | 0% |
| 10 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 4 | 1% |
| 11 | Western lynx spider Oxyopes scalaris | 3 | 0% |
| 12 | Half-edged wall jumping spider Menemerus semilimbatus | 2 | 0% |
| 13 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 2 | 1% |
| 14 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 1 | 0% |
| 15 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | — | — |
When are spiders out in Tulare County?
Observation records of spiders in Tulare County run through most of the year, peaking in June with 18% of them; across California the peak is April.
What stands out in Tulare County
Species for which Tulare County holds a large share of all California records: the Johnny Cash tarantula, 38% (13 of 34); the giant crab spider, 28% (17 of 61).
Common in California, not on the Tulare County list
Among the snakes most recorded across California, these do not reach the county list: the aquatic garter snake (3,727 statewide), the sidewinder (1,923 statewide), the two-striped garter snake (1,620 statewide), the western shovel-nosed snake (1,482 statewide) and the glossy snake (1,425 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 California, these do not reach the county list: Steatoda nobilis (1,914 statewide), the false black widow (1,201 statewide), the buttonhook leafbeetle jumping spider (825 statewide), Habronattus pyrrithrix (800 statewide) and the brown widow (776 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Tulare County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake. Coral snakes are not on the California list, but GBIF holds 3 coral snake records of any license in California (Sonoran coralsnake 3): treat any snake like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the California mountain kingsnake and the long-nosed snake.
Tulare County among California counties
By licensed snake records Tulare County ranks 27th of 58 California counties with any.
Other California counties with their own page: San Diego County, Lassen County, Shasta County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Humboldt County, Sonoma County and San Mateo County.
The whole state: venomous species in California, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.