Snakes and spiders in Coconino County, Arizona
Coconino County, home of Flagstaff, has 18 snake and 28 spider species on record, from 1,017 licensed snake and 608 spider records. Venomous species here: the prairie rattlesnake, the western rattlesnake, the Arizona black rattlesnake, the black-tailed rattlesnake, the Mohave rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Coconino County?
Yes. The prairie rattlesnake: 164 licensed records, 50% of all Arizona records of it. The western rattlesnake: 84 licensed records, 71% of all Arizona records of it. The Arizona black rattlesnake: 13 licensed records, 6% of all Arizona records of it. The black-tailed rattlesnake: 5 licensed records, 1% of all Arizona records of it. The Mohave rattlesnake: 5 licensed records, 0% of all Arizona records of it. The western black widow: 42 licensed records, 14% of all Arizona records of it.
What snakes are in Coconino County?
In all, 18 snake species are on the Coconino County list. The most recorded are the western terrestrial garter snake (362), the prairie rattlesnake (164) and the narrow-headed garter snake (99). Coconino County holds more than half of all Arizona records of the narrow-headed garter snake and the western rattlesnake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 362 | 50% |
| 2 | Prairie rattlesnake venomous Crotalus viridis | 164 | 50% |
| 3 | Narrow-headed garter snake Thamnophis rufipunctatus | 99 | 78% |
| 4 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 86 | 6% |
| 5 | Western rattlesnake venomous Crotalus oreganus | 84 | 71% |
| 6 | Striped whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus | 35 | 28% |
| 7 | Sonoran mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis pyromelana | 23 | 15% |
| 8 | Blackneck garter snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis | 21 | 3% |
| 9 | Western patch-nosed snake Salvadora hexalepis | 17 | 2% |
| 10 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 15 | 2% |
| 11 | Arizona black rattlesnake venomous Crotalus cerberus | 13 | 6% |
| 12 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 12 | 2% |
| 13 | Desert nightsnake Hypsiglena chlorophaea | 8 | 7% |
| 14 | California kingsnake Lampropeltis californiae | 6 | 2% |
| 15 | Black-tailed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus molossus | 5 | 1% |
| 16 | Mohave rattlesnake venomous Crotalus scutulatus | 5 | 0% |
| 17 | Sonoran lyre snake Trimorphodon lambda | 5 | 1% |
| 18 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 1 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Coconino County?
Observation records of snakes in Coconino County run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 19% of them; across Arizona the peak is August.
What spiders are in Coconino County?
In all, 28 spider species are on the Coconino County list. The most recorded are the western black widow (42), the Carolina wolf spider (22) and the Arizona black (15). Coconino County holds more than half of all Arizona records of the Arizona black, Pelegrina aeneola, the sixspotted orbweaver and the Tyrell's tufted jumping spider.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 42 | 14% |
| 2 | Carolina wolf spider Hogna carolinensis | 22 | 28% |
| 3 | Arizona black Aphonopelma marxi | 15 | 71% |
| 4 | Phidippus carneus | 14 | 21% |
| 5 | Koch's wolf spider Alopecosa kochi | 11 | 17% |
| 6 | Giant crab spider Olios giganteus | 9 | 6% |
| 7 | Pelegrina aeneola | 7 | 50% |
| 8 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 6 | 75% |
| 9 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 5 | 24% |
| 10 | Tyrell's tufted jumping spider Phidippus tyrrelli | 5 | 62% |
| 11 | Camptocosa parallela | 4 | 8% |
| 12 | Drassyllus insularis | 4 | 50% |
| 13 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | 4 | 9% |
| 14 | Desert blond tarantula Aphonopelma chalcodes | 3 | 1% |
| 15 | Lauricius hooki | 3 | 33% |
| 16 | Western lynx spider Oxyopes scalaris | 3 | 38% |
| 17 | Theridion neomexicanum | 2 | 50% |
| 18 | Western parson spider Herpyllus propinquus | 2 | 22% |
| 19 | Bay Area blonde Aphonopelma iodius | 1 | 100% |
| 20 | Desert red jumping spider Phidippus ardens | 1 | 10% |
| 21 | New Mexico fishing spider Dolomedes gertschi | 1 | 50% |
| 22 | Pardosa yavapa | 1 | 20% |
| 23 | Psilochorus utahensis | 1 | 17% |
| 24 | Brown-legged crab spider Coriarachne brunneipes | — | — |
| 25 | Mallos pallidus | — | — |
| 26 | Mecaphesa californica | — | — |
| 27 | Metaphidippus chera | — | — |
| 28 | Theridion goodnightorum | — | — |
When are spiders out in Coconino County?
Observation records of spiders in Coconino County run mostly April through October, peaking in October with 21% of them; across Arizona the peak is August.
What stands out in Coconino County
Species for which Coconino County holds a large share of all Arizona records: the narrow-headed garter snake, 78% (99 of 127); the Arizona black, 71% (15 of 21); the western rattlesnake, 71% (84 of 119); the western terrestrial garter snake, 50% (362 of 728); the prairie rattlesnake, 50% (164 of 330); the striped whipsnake, 28% (35 of 125); the Carolina wolf spider, 28% (22 of 80); Phidippus carneus, 21% (14 of 66).
Common in Arizona, not on the Coconino County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Arizona, these do not reach the county list: the western diamondback rattlesnake (1,790 statewide), the long-nosed snake (1,385 statewide), the sidewinder (875 statewide) and the coachwhip (621 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 Arizona, these do not reach the county list: the western spotted orbweaver (153 statewide), the green lynx spider (73 statewide), Habronattus clypeatus (49 statewide) and the hirsute paradise spider (39 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Coconino County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, but the Sonoran coralsnake is on the Arizona list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the Sonoran mountain kingsnake.
Coconino County among Arizona counties
By licensed snake records Coconino County ranks 7th of 15 Arizona counties with any.
Other Arizona counties with their own page: Pima County, Cochise County, Maricopa County, Pinal County, Santa Cruz County, Yavapai County, Yuma County and Graham County.
The whole state: venomous species in Arizona, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.