Snakes and spiders in Denton County, Texas
Denton County, home of Denton, has 26 snake and 87 spider species on record, from 556 licensed snake and 569 spider records. Venomous species here: the northern cottonmouth, the eastern copperhead, the broad-banded copperhead, the brown recluse, the western black widow and the southern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Denton County?
Yes. The northern cottonmouth: 49 licensed records, 5% of all Texas records of it. The eastern copperhead: 23 licensed records, 2% of all Texas records of it. The broad-banded copperhead: 19 licensed records, 5% of all Texas records of it. The brown recluse: 12 licensed records, 11% of all Texas records of it. The western black widow: 7 licensed records, 4% of all Texas records of it. The southern black widow: 4 licensed records, 2% of all Texas records of it.
What snakes are in Denton County?
In all, 26 snake species are on the Denton County list. The most recorded are the plain-bellied watersnake (52), the western ground snake (50) and the northern cottonmouth (49).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 52 | 2% |
| 2 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 50 | 3% |
| 3 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 49 | 5% |
| 4 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 48 | 3% |
| 5 | Western ribbon snake Thamnophis proximus | 35 | 1% |
| 6 | Flathead snake Tantilla gracilis | 29 | 3% |
| 7 | Texas blind snake Rena dulcis | 29 | 3% |
| 8 | Western rat snake Pantherophis obsoletus | 25 | 1% |
| 9 | Diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer | 24 | 1% |
| 10 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 23 | 2% |
| 11 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 21 | 2% |
| 12 | Broad-banded copperhead venomous Agkistrodon laticinctus | 19 | 5% |
| 13 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 19 | 2% |
| 14 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 19 | 3% |
| 15 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 18 | 2% |
| 16 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 14 | 1% |
| 17 | Plains black-headed snake Tantilla nigriceps | 14 | 3% |
| 18 | Lined snake Tropidoclonion lineatum | 12 | 4% |
| 19 | Chihuahuan night snake Hypsiglena jani | 11 | 2% |
| 20 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 11 | 2% |
| 21 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 7 | 0% |
| 22 | Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster | 3 | 1% |
| 23 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 2 | 1% |
| 24 | Graham's crayfish snake Regina grahamii | 2 | 1% |
| 25 | Great Plains rat snake Pantherophis emoryi | 2 | 0% |
| 26 | Speckled kingsnake Lampropeltis holbrooki | 2 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Denton County?
Observation records of snakes in Denton County run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 27% of them, the same peak as Texas as a whole.
What spiders are in Denton County?
In all, 87 spider species are on the Denton County list. The most recorded are the black-and-yellow argiope (79), the bold jumper (54) and the striped lynx spider (39).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 79 | 4% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 54 | 4% |
| 3 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 39 | 7% |
| 4 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 34 | 3% |
| 5 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 22 | 4% |
| 6 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 22 | 3% |
| 7 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 17 | 4% |
| 8 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 14 | 3% |
| 9 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 13 | 3% |
| 10 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | 12 | 11% |
| 11 | Celer crab spider Mecaphesa celer | 11 | 9% |
| 12 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 10 | 4% |
| 13 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 10 | 11% |
| 14 | Hogna antelucana | 8 | 1% |
| 15 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 8 | 5% |
| 16 | Phidippus texanus | 8 | 5% |
| 17 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 8 | 1% |
| 18 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 7 | 6% |
| 19 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 7 | 6% |
| 20 | Pardosa mercurialis | 7 | 6% |
| 21 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 7 | 4% |
| 22 | Tigrosa annexa | 7 | 2% |
| 23 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 7 | 4% |
| 24 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 6 | 3% |
| 25 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 5 | 5% |
| 26 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 4 | 2% |
| 27 | Deadly ground crab spider Xysticus funestus | 4 | 6% |
| 28 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 4 | 3% |
| 29 | Humpbacked orbweaver Eustala anastera | 4 | 4% |
| 30 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 4 | 2% |
| 31 | Texas brown tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi | 4 | 1% |
| 32 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 4 | 5% |
| 33 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 3 | 1% |
| 34 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 3 | 5% |
| 35 | Colonus puerperus | 3 | 4% |
| 36 | Cribellate spider Metaltella simoni | 3 | 1% |
| 37 | Falconina gracilis | 3 | 2% |
| 38 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 3 | 4% |
| 39 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 3 | 7% |
| 40 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 3 | 2% |
| 41 | Lance wolf spider Schizocosa avida | 3 | 2% |
| 42 | Long-jawed orb weaver Tetragnatha laboriosa | 3 | 8% |
| 43 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 3 | 5% |
| 44 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | 3 | 3% |
| 45 | Short-bellied slender jumping spider Marpissa formosa | 3 | 18% |
| 46 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 3 | 2% |
| 47 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 3 | 1% |
| 48 | Anelosimus studiosus | 2 | 11% |
| 49 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 2 | 5% |
| 50 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 2 | 6% |
| 51 | Box spider Crossopriza lyoni | 2 | 3% |
| 52 | Dotted wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata | 2 | 2% |
| 53 | Habronattus coecatus | 2 | 4% |
| 54 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | 2 | 2% |
| 55 | Orange ant-mimic sac spider Castianeira amoena | 2 | 6% |
| 56 | Philodromus pratariae | 2 | 18% |
| 57 | Scytodes atlacoya | 2 | 3% |
| 58 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 2 | 2% |
| 59 | Butterfly orbweaver Araneus pegnia | 1 | 1% |
| 60 | Carolina jumping spider Phidippus carolinensis | 1 | 1% |
When are spiders out in Denton County?
Observation records of spiders in Denton County run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 17% of them, the same peak as Texas as a whole.
Common in Texas, not on the Denton County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Texas, these do not reach the county list: the western diamondback rattlesnake (2,667 statewide) and the checkered garter snake (1,851 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 Denton County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the plain-bellied watersnake. 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. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the western diamondback rattlesnake, the prairie rattlesnake, the eastern black-tailed rattlesnake, the Mohave rattlesnake, the rock rattlesnake, the western massasauga, the timber rattlesnake and the pygmy rattlesnake are on the Texas list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the gopher 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.
Denton County among Texas counties
By licensed snake records Denton County ranks 13th 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.