Snakes and spiders in Lee County, Florida
Lee County, home of Fort Myers, has 21 snake and 23 spider species on record, from 660 licensed snake and 222 spider records. Venomous species here: the Florida cottonmouth, the northern cottonmouth, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the pygmy rattlesnake, the eastern coral snake and the brown widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Lee County?
Yes. The Florida cottonmouth: 18 licensed records, 4% of all Florida records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 14 licensed records, 5% of all Florida records of it. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake: 11 licensed records, 3% of all Florida records of it. The pygmy rattlesnake: 10 licensed records, 2% of all Florida records of it. The eastern coral snake: 5 licensed records, 2% of all Florida records of it. The brown widow: 3 licensed records, 2% of all Florida records of it.
What snakes are in Lee County?
In all, 21 snake species are on the Lee County list. The most recorded are the eastern racer (158), the southern watersnake (104) and the eastern ribbonsnake (82).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 158 | 10% |
| 2 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 104 | 7% |
| 3 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 82 | 11% |
| 4 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 52 | 7% |
| 5 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 44 | 9% |
| 6 | Brahminy blindsnake introduced Indotyphlops braminus | 20 | 10% |
| 7 | Burmese python introduced Python bivittatus | 19 | 0% |
| 8 | Florida cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon conanti | 18 | 4% |
| 9 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 14 | 5% |
| 10 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 13 | 2% |
| 11 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 13 | 6% |
| 12 | Striped crayfish snake Liodytes alleni | 13 | 4% |
| 13 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 12 | 12% |
| 14 | Eastern diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus adamanteus | 11 | 3% |
| 15 | Pygmy rattlesnake venomous Sistrurus miliarius | 10 | 2% |
| 16 | Mud snake Farancia abacura | 8 | 4% |
| 17 | Eastern coral snake venomous Micrurus fulvius | 5 | 2% |
| 18 | Florida brown snake Storeria victa | 5 | 4% |
| 19 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 4 | 2% |
| 20 | Florida green water snake Nerodia floridana | 3 | 1% |
| 21 | Salt marsh snake Nerodia clarkii | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Lee County?
Observation records of snakes in Lee County run mostly August through April, peaking in February with 19% of them; across Florida the peak is March.
What spiders are in Lee County?
In all, 23 spider species are on the Lee County list. The most recorded are the spiny-backed orbweaver (62), the greater leucauge (29) and the gray wall jumper (21).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 62 | 7% |
| 2 | Greater leucauge Leucauge argyra | 29 | 6% |
| 3 | Gray wall jumper Menemerus bivittatus | 21 | 5% |
| 4 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 11 | 1% |
| 5 | Bifurcate trashline orbweaver Allocyclosa bifurca | 9 | 15% |
| 6 | Global tentweb weaver Cyrtophora citricola | 8 | 15% |
| 7 | Box spider Crossopriza lyoni | 7 | 11% |
| 8 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 6 | 1% |
| 9 | Cyclosa turbinata | 5 | 17% |
| 10 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 4 | 1% |
| 11 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 4 | 1% |
| 12 | Brown widow venomous introduced Latrodectus geometricus | 3 | 2% |
| 13 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 3 | 2% |
| 14 | Tigrosa annexa | 3 | 3% |
| 15 | Tropical orb weaver Eriophora ravilla | 3 | 1% |
| 16 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 2 | 1% |
| 17 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 1 | 1% |
| 18 | Brown spitting spider Scytodes fusca | 1 | 4% |
| 19 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 1 | 1% |
| 20 | Regal jumper Phidippus regius | 1 | 0% |
| 21 | Straight-banded nursery web spider Pisaurina brevipes | 1 | 8% |
| 22 | Huntsman spider Heteropoda venatoria | — | — |
| 23 | Selenops submaculosus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Lee County?
Observation records of spiders in Lee County run mostly August through April, peaking in December with 32% of them; across Florida the peak is April.
Common in Florida, not on the Lee County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Florida, these do not reach the county list: the black swamp 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 twin-flagged jumping spider (247 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 Lee 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 and the northern water snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the southern watersnake, the northern water snake, the mud snake and the Florida green water snake. Coral snakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the scarlet snake.
Lee County among Florida counties
By licensed snake records Lee County ranks 6th of 67 Florida counties with any.
Other Florida counties with their own page: Miami-Dade County, Collier County, Alachua County, Monroe County, Broward County, Orange County, Marion County and Palm Beach 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.