Snakes and spiders in Cleveland County, Oklahoma
Cleveland County, home of Norman, has 23 snake and 47 spider species on record, from 785 licensed snake and 543 spider records. Venomous species here: the pygmy rattlesnake, the broad-banded copperhead, the brown recluse and the southern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Cleveland County?
Yes. The pygmy rattlesnake: 27 licensed records, 25% of all Oklahoma records of it. The broad-banded copperhead: 4 licensed records, 2% of all Oklahoma records of it. The brown recluse: 20 licensed records, 15% of all Oklahoma records of it. The southern black widow: 18 licensed records, 30% of all Oklahoma records of it.
What snakes are in Cleveland County?
In all, 23 snake species are on the Cleveland County list. The most recorded are the plain-bellied watersnake (73), the western ribbon snake (71) and the western rat snake (70).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Oklahoma records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 73 | 10% |
| 2 | Western ribbon snake Thamnophis proximus | 71 | 12% |
| 3 | Western rat snake Pantherophis obsoletus | 70 | 14% |
| 4 | Diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer | 68 | 13% |
| 5 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 56 | 16% |
| 6 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 41 | 8% |
| 7 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 41 | 14% |
| 8 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 40 | 7% |
| 9 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 36 | 13% |
| 10 | Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster | 34 | 14% |
| 11 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 30 | 15% |
| 12 | Flathead snake Tantilla gracilis | 29 | 2% |
| 13 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 28 | 8% |
| 14 | Pygmy rattlesnake venomous Sistrurus miliarius | 27 | 25% |
| 15 | Speckled kingsnake Lampropeltis holbrooki | 20 | 8% |
| 16 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 19 | 2% |
| 17 | Lined snake Tropidoclonion lineatum | 16 | 3% |
| 18 | Graham's crayfish snake Regina grahamii | 15 | 12% |
| 19 | Plains hog-nosed snake Heterodon nasicus | 14 | 15% |
| 20 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 11 | 1% |
| 21 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 9 | 3% |
| 22 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 7 | 27% |
| 23 | Broad-banded copperhead venomous Agkistrodon laticinctus | 4 | 2% |
When are snakes out in Cleveland County?
Observation records of snakes in Cleveland County run mostly March through October, peaking in May with 32% of them, the same peak as Oklahoma as a whole.
What spiders are in Cleveland County?
In all, 47 spider species are on the Cleveland County list. The most recorded are the bold jumper (67), the black-and-yellow argiope (38) and the familiar jumping spider (26). Cleveland County holds more than half of all Oklahoma records of Trochosa sepulchralis.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Oklahoma records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 67 | 13% |
| 2 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 38 | 18% |
| 3 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 26 | 11% |
| 4 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | 20 | 15% |
| 5 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 19 | 20% |
| 6 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 18 | 11% |
| 7 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 18 | 30% |
| 8 | Pardosa mercurialis | 11 | 16% |
| 9 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 9 | 9% |
| 10 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 8 | 22% |
| 11 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 8 | 5% |
| 12 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 8 | 26% |
| 13 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 7 | 18% |
| 14 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 7 | 5% |
| 15 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 7 | 15% |
| 16 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 7 | 21% |
| 17 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 7 | 27% |
| 18 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 6 | 15% |
| 19 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 6 | 32% |
| 20 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 6 | 7% |
| 21 | Cardinal jumper Phidippus cardinalis | 5 | 13% |
| 22 | Phidippus texanus | 5 | 17% |
| 23 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 4 | 6% |
| 24 | Trochosa sepulchralis | 4 | 67% |
| 25 | High eye-lashed jumping spider Phidippus mystaceus | 3 | 5% |
| 26 | Hogna antelucana | 3 | 23% |
| 27 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 3 | 9% |
| 28 | Xysticus texanus | 3 | 23% |
| 29 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 2 | 4% |
| 30 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 2 | 3% |
| 31 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 2 | 7% |
| 32 | Habronattus coecatus | 2 | 3% |
| 33 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 2 | 8% |
| 34 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 2 | 6% |
| 35 | Scytodes atlacoya | 2 | 5% |
| 36 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 2 | 3% |
| 37 | Colonus puerperus | 1 | 4% |
| 38 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 1 | 5% |
| 39 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 1 | 1% |
| 40 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 1 | 5% |
| 41 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 1 | 2% |
| 42 | Tigrosa annexa | 1 | 17% |
| 43 | Tigrosa grandis | 1 | 20% |
| 44 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | — | — |
| 45 | Orange ant-mimic sac spider Castianeira amoena | — | — |
| 46 | Texas brown tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi | — | — |
| 47 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Cleveland County?
Observation records of spiders in Cleveland County run mostly March through October, peaking in October with 15% of them; across Oklahoma the peak is September.
What stands out in Cleveland County
Species for which Cleveland County holds a large share of all Oklahoma records: the southern black widow, 30% (18 of 61); the pygmy rattlesnake, 25% (27 of 108); the green lynx spider, 20% (19 of 93); the black-and-yellow argiope, 18% (38 of 208); Pardosa mercurialis, 16% (11 of 69); the DeKay's brown snake, 16% (56 of 359); the plains hog-nosed snake, 15% (14 of 91).
Common in Oklahoma, not on the Cleveland County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Oklahoma, these do not reach the county list: the northern cottonmouth (429 statewide) and the western diamondback rattlesnake (417 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Cleveland County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the plain-bellied watersnake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth is on the Oklahoma list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the plain-bellied watersnake and the diamondback water snake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake, the eastern hog-nosed snake and the plains hog-nosed snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Oklahoma under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the scarlet snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider.
Cleveland County among Oklahoma counties
By licensed snake records Cleveland County ranks 4th of 77 Oklahoma counties with any.
Other Oklahoma counties with their own page: Tulsa County, Comanche County, LeFlore County, McCurtain County, Okmulgee County, Marshall County, Rogers County and Atoka County.
The whole state: venomous species in Oklahoma, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.