Snakes and spiders in Pierce County, Washington
Pierce County, home of Tacoma, has 5 snake and 44 spider species on record, from 449 licensed snake and 379 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the western rattlesnake and the western black widow are on the Washington list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Pierce County?
In all, 5 snake species are on the Pierce County list. The most recorded are the western terrestrial garter snake (158), the common garter snake (113) and the northwestern garter snake (111).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Washington records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 158 | 30% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 113 | 9% |
| 3 | Northwestern garter snake Thamnophis ordinoides | 111 | 8% |
| 4 | Northern rubber boa Charina bottae | 17 | 13% |
| 5 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 12 | 8% |
What spiders are in Pierce County?
In all, 44 spider species are on the Pierce County list. The most recorded are the garden spider (43), the goldenrod crab spider (40) and the zebra spider (27).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Washington records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 43 | 5% |
| 2 | Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia | 40 | 13% |
| 3 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 27 | 12% |
| 4 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 24 | 26% |
| 5 | Giant house spider Eratigena duellica | 17 | 9% |
| 6 | Sierra dome spider Neriene litigiosa | 16 | 12% |
| 7 | Eurasian running crab spider Philodromus dispar | 14 | 12% |
| 8 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | 13 | 33% |
| 9 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 13 | 33% |
| 10 | Nearctic white-striped running crab spider Philodromus rufus | 11 | 12% |
| 11 | Metaphidippus manni | 9 | 32% |
| 12 | Pelegrina aeneola | 9 | 19% |
| 13 | False black widow Steatoda grossa | 7 | 11% |
| 14 | Nordmann's orbweaver spider Araneus nordmanni | 7 | 24% |
| 15 | California flattened jumping spider Platycryptus californicus | 6 | 10% |
| 16 | Common candy-striped spider Enoplognatha ovata | 5 | 12% |
| 17 | False pirate spider Platnickina tincta | 5 | 28% |
| 18 | Phanias albeolus | 5 | 42% |
| 19 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 4 | 4% |
| 20 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 4 | 8% |
| 21 | Neriene digna | 4 | 16% |
| 22 | Zygiella x-notata | 4 | 36% |
| 23 | Barn funnel weaver Tegenaria domestica | 3 | 18% |
| 24 | House jumping spider Pseudeuophrys lanigera | 3 | 43% |
| 25 | Mouse spider Scotophaeus blackwalli | 3 | 5% |
| 26 | Oblong running spider Tibellus oblongus | 3 | 9% |
| 27 | Trochosa ruricola | 3 | 12% |
| 28 | Autumn spider Metellina segmentata | 2 | 5% |
| 29 | Johnson jumper Phidippus johnsoni | 2 | 4% |
| 30 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 1 | 25% |
| 31 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 1 | 3% |
| 32 | Pimoa altioculata | 1 | 8% |
| 33 | Versicolor long-jawed orbweaver Tetragnatha versicolor | 1 | 3% |
| 34 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | — | — |
| 35 | Common crab spider Xysticus cristatus | — | — |
| 36 | Common foldingdoor spider Antrodiaetus pacificus | — | — |
| 37 | Common six-spotted cobweaver Rugathodes sexpunctatus | — | — |
| 38 | Dysdera crocata | — | — |
| 39 | Hexura picea | — | — |
| 40 | Hobo spider Eratigena agrestis | — | — |
| 41 | Northern yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium mildei | — | — |
| 42 | Phanias harfordi | — | — |
| 43 | Theridion californicum | — | — |
| 44 | West coast laceweaver Callobius severus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Pierce County?
Observation records of spiders in Pierce County run mostly March through October, peaking in August with 16% of them; across Washington the peak is September.
What stands out in Pierce County
Species for which Pierce County holds a large share of all Washington records: the bridge orbweaver, 33% (13 of 39); the sixspotted orbweaver, 33% (13 of 39); the western terrestrial garter snake, 30% (158 of 535); the bold jumper, 26% (24 of 93).
Common in Washington, not on the Pierce County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Washington, these do not reach the county list: the western rattlesnake (859 statewide), the gopher snake (246 statewide), the sharp-tailed snake (27 statewide), the California mountain kingsnake (9 statewide), the ring-necked snake (5 statewide) and the desert nightsnake (3 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Pierce County
No widow spiders reach the county list, but the western black widow is on the Washington list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the false black widow and the common house spider. No recluse spiders reach the county list, and GBIF holds no recluse spider record for Washington under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the longbodied cellar spider and the hobo spider.
Pierce County among Washington counties
By licensed snake records Pierce County ranks 3rd of 39 Washington counties with any.
Other Washington counties with their own page: King County and Okanogan County.
The whole state: venomous species in Washington, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.