Snakes and spiders in Tarrant County, Texas
Tarrant County, home of Fort Worth, has 23 snake and 93 spider species on record, from 493 licensed snake and 1,136 spider records. Venomous species here: the broad-banded copperhead, the northern cottonmouth, the western massasauga, the eastern copperhead, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the brown recluse, the southern black widow and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Tarrant County?
Yes. The broad-banded copperhead: 30 licensed records, 8% of all Texas records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 17 licensed records, 2% of all Texas records of it. The western massasauga: 16 licensed records, 7% of all Texas records of it. The eastern copperhead: 5 licensed records, 0% of all Texas records of it. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 2 licensed records, 0% of all Texas records of it. The brown recluse: 6 licensed records, 5% of all Texas records of it. The southern black widow: 5 licensed records, 2% of all Texas records of it. The western black widow: 4 licensed records, 2% of all Texas records of it.
What snakes are in Tarrant County?
In all, 23 snake species are on the Tarrant County list. The most recorded are the rough earthsnake (79), the plain-bellied watersnake (72) and the western rat snake (43).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 79 | 5% |
| 2 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 72 | 3% |
| 3 | Western rat snake Pantherophis obsoletus | 43 | 2% |
| 4 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 37 | 4% |
| 5 | Western ribbon snake Thamnophis proximus | 35 | 1% |
| 6 | Broad-banded copperhead venomous Agkistrodon laticinctus | 30 | 8% |
| 7 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 26 | 3% |
| 8 | Diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer | 24 | 1% |
| 9 | Lined snake Tropidoclonion lineatum | 23 | 8% |
| 10 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 21 | 1% |
| 11 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 18 | 3% |
| 12 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 17 | 2% |
| 13 | Western massasauga venomous Sistrurus tergeminus | 16 | 7% |
| 14 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 9 | 0% |
| 15 | Speckled kingsnake Lampropeltis holbrooki | 6 | 4% |
| 16 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 5 | 0% |
| 17 | Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster | 5 | 2% |
| 18 | Flathead snake Tantilla gracilis | 4 | 0% |
| 19 | Texas blind snake Rena dulcis | 4 | 0% |
| 20 | Great Plains rat snake Pantherophis emoryi | 3 | 0% |
| 21 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 2 | 0% |
| 22 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 2 | 0% |
| 23 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Tarrant County?
Observation records of snakes in Tarrant County run mostly March through October, peaking in May with 20% of them; across Texas the peak is April.
What spiders are in Tarrant County?
In all, 93 spider species are on the Tarrant County list. The most recorded are the black-and-yellow argiope (137), the striped lynx spider (96) and the bold jumper (62).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 137 | 7% |
| 2 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 96 | 17% |
| 3 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 62 | 4% |
| 4 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 61 | 6% |
| 5 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 38 | 4% |
| 6 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 38 | 9% |
| 7 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 37 | 6% |
| 8 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 36 | 16% |
| 9 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 27 | 17% |
| 10 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 24 | 5% |
| 11 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 22 | 5% |
| 12 | Pardosa mercurialis | 18 | 16% |
| 13 | Colonus puerperus | 17 | 21% |
| 14 | Cribellate spider Metaltella simoni | 17 | 7% |
| 15 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 16 | 21% |
| 16 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 16 | 13% |
| 17 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 16 | 4% |
| 18 | Cardinal jumper Phidippus cardinalis | 15 | 15% |
| 19 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 14 | 8% |
| 20 | Phidippus texanus | 14 | 10% |
| 21 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 14 | 7% |
| 22 | Falconina gracilis | 13 | 7% |
| 23 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 13 | 8% |
| 24 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 13 | 11% |
| 25 | Texas brown tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi | 13 | 4% |
| 26 | Carolina jumping spider Phidippus carolinensis | 11 | 7% |
| 27 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 11 | 8% |
| 28 | Tigrosa annexa | 11 | 3% |
| 29 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 10 | 5% |
| 30 | Celer crab spider Mecaphesa celer | 10 | 8% |
| 31 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 10 | 10% |
| 32 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 10 | 2% |
| 33 | Habronattus coecatus | 9 | 19% |
| 34 | Humpbacked orbweaver Eustala anastera | 9 | 9% |
| 35 | Hammerjawed jumper Zygoballus rufipes | 8 | 9% |
| 36 | Shore spider Pardosa milvina | 8 | 22% |
| 37 | Sassacus papenhoei | 7 | 18% |
| 38 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | 6 | 5% |
| 39 | Cyclosa turbinata | 6 | 8% |
| 40 | Deadly ground crab spider Xysticus funestus | 6 | 10% |
| 41 | Featherlegged orbweaver Uloborus glomosus | 6 | 10% |
| 42 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | 6 | 5% |
| 43 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 6 | 7% |
| 44 | American dewdrop spider Argyrodes elevatus | 5 | 4% |
| 45 | Box spider Crossopriza lyoni | 5 | 8% |
| 46 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 5 | 8% |
| 47 | Dotted wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata | 5 | 5% |
| 48 | Lance wolf spider Schizocosa avida | 5 | 3% |
| 49 | Red-spotted ant mimic sac spider Castianeira descripta | 5 | 17% |
| 50 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 5 | 2% |
| 51 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 5 | 1% |
| 52 | Variegated ground spider Sergiolus capulatus | 5 | 23% |
| 53 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 4 | 9% |
| 54 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 4 | 11% |
| 55 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 4 | 4% |
| 56 | Pike slender jumper Marpissa pikei | 4 | 14% |
| 57 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 4 | 2% |
| 58 | Western lynx spider Oxyopes scalaris | 4 | 25% |
| 59 | Dysdera crocata | 3 | 8% |
| 60 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 3 | 7% |
When are spiders out in Tarrant County?
Observation records of spiders in Tarrant County run mostly March through November, peaking in April with 18% of them, the same peak as Texas as a whole.
What stands out in Tarrant County
Species for which Tarrant County holds a large share of all Texas records: Colonus puerperus, 21% (17 of 82); the flea jumping spider, 21% (16 of 78); the peppered jumper, 17% (27 of 158); the striped lynx spider, 17% (96 of 579); Pardosa mercurialis, 16% (18 of 111); the bronze jumper, 16% (36 of 226); the cardinal jumper, 15% (15 of 97).
Common in Texas, not on the Tarrant County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Texas, these do not reach the county list: 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 Tarrant 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 and the diamondback water snake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the Great Plains rat snake and the gopher snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider.
Tarrant County among Texas counties
By licensed snake records Tarrant County ranks 16th 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.