Snakes and spiders in Bastrop County, Texas
Bastrop County, home of Bastrop, has 22 snake and 38 spider species on record, from 320 licensed snake and 423 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the broad-banded copperhead, the Texas coral snake, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the northern cottonmouth, the timber rattlesnake, the southern black widow and the brown recluse.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Bastrop County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 30 licensed records, 3% of all Texas records of it. The broad-banded copperhead: 20 licensed records, 5% of all Texas records of it. The Texas coral snake: 17 licensed records, 3% of all Texas records of it. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 12 licensed records, 0% of all Texas records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 7 licensed records, 1% of all Texas records of it. The timber rattlesnake: 7 licensed records, 4% of all Texas records of it. The southern black widow: 5 licensed records, 2% of all Texas records of it. The brown recluse: 4 licensed records, 4% of all Texas records of it.
What snakes are in Bastrop County?
In all, 22 snake species are on the Bastrop County list. The most recorded are the western rat snake (45), the eastern copperhead (30) and the plain-bellied watersnake (25).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western rat snake Pantherophis obsoletus | 45 | 3% |
| 2 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 30 | 3% |
| 3 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 25 | 1% |
| 4 | Western ribbon snake Thamnophis proximus | 21 | 1% |
| 5 | Broad-banded copperhead venomous Agkistrodon laticinctus | 20 | 5% |
| 6 | Texas coral snake venomous Micrurus tener | 17 | 3% |
| 7 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 16 | 1% |
| 8 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 14 | 1% |
| 9 | Checkered garter snake Thamnophis marcianus | 13 | 1% |
| 10 | Texas blind snake Rena dulcis | 13 | 1% |
| 11 | Diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer | 12 | 1% |
| 12 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 12 | 3% |
| 13 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 12 | 0% |
| 14 | Flathead snake Tantilla gracilis | 9 | 1% |
| 15 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 8 | 1% |
| 16 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 8 | 1% |
| 17 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 7 | 1% |
| 18 | Timber rattlesnake venomous Crotalus horridus | 7 | 4% |
| 19 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 6 | 1% |
| 20 | Great Plains rat snake Pantherophis emoryi | 5 | 1% |
| 21 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 3 | 0% |
| 22 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 2 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Bastrop County?
Observation records of snakes in Bastrop County run mostly March through October, peaking in May with 20% of them; across Texas the peak is April.
What spiders are in Bastrop County?
In all, 38 spider species are on the Bastrop County list. The most recorded are the bold jumper (38), the green lynx spider (35) and the black-and-yellow argiope (32).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 38 | 3% |
| 2 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 35 | 4% |
| 3 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 32 | 2% |
| 4 | Hogna antelucana | 22 | 3% |
| 5 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 17 | 2% |
| 6 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 16 | 25% |
| 7 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 15 | 2% |
| 8 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 13 | 2% |
| 9 | Three-lined maevia Paramaevia poultoni | 11 | 17% |
| 10 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 10 | 2% |
| 11 | Giant lichen orbweaver Araneus bicentenarius | 10 | 6% |
| 12 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 10 | 2% |
| 13 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 6 | 14% |
| 14 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 5 | 2% |
| 15 | Gladicosa pulchra | 5 | 12% |
| 16 | Scytodes atlacoya | 5 | 7% |
| 17 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 5 | 2% |
| 18 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | 4 | 4% |
| 19 | Cardinal jumper Phidippus cardinalis | 4 | 4% |
| 20 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | 4 | 4% |
| 21 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 4 | 1% |
| 22 | Phidippus arizonensis | 4 | 4% |
| 23 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 4 | 1% |
| 24 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 4 | 1% |
| 25 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 4 | 8% |
| 26 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 4 | 5% |
| 27 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 3 | 1% |
| 28 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 3 | 2% |
| 29 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 3 | 1% |
| 30 | Pantropical jumper Plexippus paykulli | 3 | 1% |
| 31 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 3 | 2% |
| 32 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 3 | 1% |
| 33 | Carolina jumping spider Phidippus carolinensis | 2 | 1% |
| 34 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 2 | 1% |
| 35 | High eye-lashed jumping spider Phidippus mystaceus | 2 | 5% |
| 36 | Apache jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus | 1 | 1% |
| 37 | Mecaphesa dubia | 1 | 1% |
| 38 | Phidippus texanus | 1 | 1% |
When are spiders out in Bastrop County?
Observation records of spiders in Bastrop County run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 24% of them, the same peak as Texas as a whole.
What stands out in Bastrop County
Species for which Bastrop County holds a large share of all Texas records: the Putnam's jumper, 25% (16 of 63); the three-lined maevia, 17% (11 of 66).
Common in Texas, not on the Bastrop County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Texas, these do not reach the county list: the western ground snake (1,963 statewide) and the gopher snake (1,440 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 Texas, these do not reach the county list: Cicurina varians (514 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Bastrop 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. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the plain-bellied watersnake, the diamondback water snake and the southern watersnake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern hog-nosed snake and the Great Plains rat snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider.
Bastrop County among Texas counties
By licensed snake records Bastrop County ranks 30th of 254 Texas counties with any.
Other Texas counties with their own page: Travis County, Brewster County, Harris County, Brazos County, El Paso County, Jeff Davis County, Val Verde County and Bexar County.
The whole state: venomous species in Texas, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.