Snakes and spiders in Chase County, Kansas
Chase County, home of Cottonwood Falls, has 15 snake and 3 spider species on record, from 731 licensed snake and 11 spider records. Venomous species here: the western massasauga.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Chase County?
Yes. The western massasauga: 22 licensed records, 4% of all Kansas records of it.
What snakes are in Chase County?
In all, 15 snake species are on the Chase County list. The most recorded are the northern water snake (493), the ring-necked snake (47) and the flathead snake (42).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Kansas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 493 | 41% |
| 2 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 47 | 2% |
| 3 | Flathead snake Tantilla gracilis | 42 | 5% |
| 4 | Lined snake Tropidoclonion lineatum | 28 | 6% |
| 5 | Western massasauga venomous Sistrurus tergeminus | 22 | 4% |
| 6 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 19 | 2% |
| 7 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 13 | 4% |
| 8 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 12 | 10% |
| 9 | Central plains milksnake Lampropeltis gentilis | 8 | 4% |
| 10 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 8 | 1% |
| 11 | Speckled kingsnake Lampropeltis holbrooki | 8 | 3% |
| 12 | Great Plains rat snake Pantherophis emoryi | 7 | 3% |
| 13 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 4 | 1% |
| 14 | Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster | 4 | 2% |
| 15 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Chase County?
Observation records of snakes in Chase County are concentrated in April and May (90% of them).
What spiders are in Chase County?
In all, 3 spider species are on the Chase County list. The most recorded are the bold jumper (3) and the black-and-yellow argiope (1).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Kansas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 3 | 3% |
| 2 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 1 | 1% |
| 3 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | — | — |
What stands out in Chase County
Species for which Chase County holds a large share of all Kansas records: the northern water snake, 41% (493 of 1,214).
Common in Kansas, not on the Chase County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Kansas, these do not reach the county list: the eastern copperhead (615 statewide), the plains garter snake (562 statewide), the western rat snake (443 statewide) and the prairie rattlesnake (347 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Chase County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead and the broad-banded copperhead are on the Kansas list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake, the plain-bellied watersnake, the corn snake and the central plains milksnake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth is on the Kansas list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake and the plain-bellied watersnake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the Great Plains rat snake and the gopher snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Kansas under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the central plains milksnake.
Chase County among Kansas counties
By licensed snake records Chase County ranks 3rd of 105 Kansas counties with any.
Other Kansas counties with their own page: Cowley County, Douglas County, Ellis County, Russell County, Cherokee County, Riley County, Barber County and Johnson County.
The whole state: venomous species in Kansas, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.