Snakes and spiders in Duval County, Florida
Duval County has 19 snake and 33 spider species on record, from 165 licensed snake and 473 spider records. Venomous species here: the pygmy rattlesnake, the Florida cottonmouth, the eastern coral snake, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the southern black widow and the brown widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Duval County?
Yes. The pygmy rattlesnake: 11 licensed records, 3% of all Florida records of it. The Florida cottonmouth: 8 licensed records, 2% of all Florida records of it. The eastern coral snake: 3 licensed records, 1% of all Florida records of it. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake: 3 licensed records, 1% of all Florida records of it. The southern black widow: 6 licensed records, 12% of all Florida records of it. The brown widow: 5 licensed records, 3% of all Florida records of it.
What snakes are in Duval County?
In all, 19 snake species are on the Duval County list. The most recorded are the eastern racer (34), the southern watersnake (25) and the common garter snake (18).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 34 | 2% |
| 2 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 25 | 2% |
| 3 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 18 | 3% |
| 4 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 17 | 2% |
| 5 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 11 | 1% |
| 6 | Pygmy rattlesnake venomous Sistrurus miliarius | 11 | 3% |
| 7 | Pine woods snake Rhadinaea flavilata | 10 | 10% |
| 8 | Florida cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon conanti | 8 | 2% |
| 9 | Florida brown snake Storeria victa | 5 | 4% |
| 10 | Eastern coral snake venomous Micrurus fulvius | 3 | 1% |
| 11 | Eastern diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus adamanteus | 3 | 1% |
| 12 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 3 | 1% |
| 13 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 3 | 1% |
| 14 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 2 | 1% |
| 15 | Scarlet kingsnake Lampropeltis elapsoides | 2 | 3% |
| 16 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 2 | 1% |
| 17 | Brahminy blindsnake introduced Indotyphlops braminus | — | — |
| 18 | Crayfish snake Liodytes rigida | — | — |
| 19 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | — | — |
When are snakes out in Duval County?
Observation records of snakes in Duval County run mostly February through October, peaking in April with 14% of them; across Florida the peak is March.
What spiders are in Duval County?
In all, 33 spider species are on the Duval County list. The most recorded are Leucauge argyrobapta (25), the American golden orb weaver (16) and Castianeira crucigera (15). Duval County holds more than half of all Florida records of Castianeira crucigera, Hamataliwa helia and Castianeira floridana.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 25 | 4% |
| 2 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 16 | 2% |
| 3 | Castianeira crucigera | 15 | 79% |
| 4 | Hamataliwa helia | 14 | 67% |
| 5 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 12 | 1% |
| 6 | Bark lynx spider Hamataliwa grisea | 10 | 40% |
| 7 | Castianeira floridana | 10 | 56% |
| 8 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 10 | 3% |
| 9 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 10 | 4% |
| 10 | Workman's jumper Phidippus workmani | 10 | 28% |
| 11 | Ogre-faced spider Deinopis spinosa | 9 | 22% |
| 12 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 8 | 2% |
| 13 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 6 | 5% |
| 14 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 6 | 12% |
| 15 | Yellow ghost spider Hibana velox | 6 | 22% |
| 16 | Brown widow venomous introduced Latrodectus geometricus | 5 | 3% |
| 17 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 5 | 3% |
| 18 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 5 | 4% |
| 19 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 5 | 14% |
| 20 | Gray wall jumper Menemerus bivittatus | 4 | 1% |
| 21 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 4 | 1% |
| 22 | Huntsman spider Heteropoda venatoria | 4 | 4% |
| 23 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 4 | 11% |
| 24 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 4 | 6% |
| 25 | Tigrosa annexa | 4 | 3% |
| 26 | Tropical orb weaver Eriophora ravilla | 4 | 1% |
| 27 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 4 | 5% |
| 28 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 3 | 3% |
| 29 | Regal jumper Phidippus regius | 3 | 1% |
| 30 | Box spider Crossopriza lyoni | 1 | 2% |
| 31 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | — | — |
| 32 | Cribellate spider Metaltella simoni | — | — |
| 33 | Southern house spider Kukulcania hibernalis | — | — |
When are spiders out in Duval County?
Observation records of spiders in Duval County run through most of the year, peaking in July with 16% of them; across Florida the peak is April.
What stands out in Duval County
Species for which Duval County holds a large share of all Florida records: Hamataliwa helia, 67% (14 of 21); the bark lynx spider, 40% (10 of 25); the Workman's jumper, 28% (10 of 36).
Common in Florida, not on the Duval County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Florida, these do not reach the county list: the Burmese python (8,141 statewide), the black swamp snake (431 statewide) and the Florida green water snake (431 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 Florida, these do not reach the county list: the greater leucauge (514 statewide) and the arabesque orbweaver (197 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Duval County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Florida list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the corn snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the southern watersnake. Coral snakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the scarlet kingsnake and the scarlet snake. Recluse spiders are not on the Florida list, but GBIF holds 1 recluse spider record of any license in Florida (brown recluse 1): treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the southern house spider.
Duval County among Florida counties
By licensed snake records Duval County ranks 21st of 67 Florida counties with any.
Other Florida counties with their own page: Miami-Dade County, Collier County, Alachua County, Monroe County, Broward County, Lee County, Orange County and Marion County.
The whole state: venomous species in Florida, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.