Snakes and spiders in Yavapai County, Arizona
Yavapai County, home of Prescott, has 26 snake and 25 spider species on record, from 1,045 licensed snake and 386 spider records. Venomous species here: the Mohave rattlesnake, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the Arizona black rattlesnake, the black-tailed rattlesnake, the southwestern speckled rattlesnake, the Sonoran coralsnake, the prairie rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Yavapai County?
Yes. The Mohave rattlesnake: 151 licensed records, 11% of all Arizona records of it. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 130 licensed records, 7% of all Arizona records of it. The Arizona black rattlesnake: 59 licensed records, 26% of all Arizona records of it. The black-tailed rattlesnake: 43 licensed records, 6% of all Arizona records of it. The southwestern speckled rattlesnake: 28 licensed records, 15% of all Arizona records of it. The Sonoran coralsnake: 15 licensed records, 4% of all Arizona records of it. The prairie rattlesnake: 12 licensed records, 4% of all Arizona records of it. The western black widow: 13 licensed records, 4% of all Arizona records of it.
What snakes are in Yavapai County?
In all, 26 snake species are on the Yavapai County list. The most recorded are the Mohave rattlesnake (151), the western diamondback rattlesnake (130) and the gopher snake (67).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohave rattlesnake venomous Crotalus scutulatus | 151 | 11% |
| 2 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 130 | 7% |
| 3 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 67 | 5% |
| 4 | Arizona black rattlesnake venomous Crotalus cerberus | 59 | 26% |
| 5 | Western patch-nosed snake Salvadora hexalepis | 52 | 6% |
| 6 | Blackneck garter snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis | 47 | 6% |
| 7 | Black-tailed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus molossus | 43 | 6% |
| 8 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 41 | 6% |
| 9 | Long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei | 34 | 2% |
| 10 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 33 | 5% |
| 11 | Sonoran lyre snake Trimorphodon lambda | 28 | 7% |
| 12 | Southwestern speckled rattlesnake venomous Crotalus pyrrhus | 28 | 15% |
| 13 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 27 | 4% |
| 14 | California kingsnake Lampropeltis californiae | 26 | 10% |
| 15 | Sonoran mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis pyromelana | 24 | 16% |
| 16 | Sonoran whipsnake Masticophis bilineatus | 23 | 4% |
| 17 | Striped whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus | 22 | 18% |
| 18 | Western threadsnake Rena humilis | 22 | 6% |
| 19 | Mexican garter snake Thamnophis eques | 18 | 20% |
| 20 | Spotted leaf-nosed snake Phyllorhynchus decurtatus | 18 | 5% |
| 21 | Southwestern blackhead snake Tantilla hobartsmithi | 17 | 9% |
| 22 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 16 | 2% |
| 23 | Sonoran coralsnake venomous Micruroides euryxanthus | 15 | 4% |
| 24 | Prairie rattlesnake venomous Crotalus viridis | 12 | 4% |
| 25 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 10 | 5% |
| 26 | Desert nightsnake Hypsiglena chlorophaea | 6 | 5% |
When are snakes out in Yavapai County?
Observation records of snakes in Yavapai County run mostly March through September, peaking in April with 28% of them; across Arizona the peak is August.
What spiders are in Yavapai County?
In all, 25 spider species are on the Yavapai County list. The most recorded are Camptocosa parallela (18), the versicolor long-jawed orbweaver (14) and the western black widow (13). Yavapai County holds more than half of all Arizona records of the versicolor long-jawed orbweaver and Dysdera crocata.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arizona records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Camptocosa parallela | 18 | 37% |
| 2 | Versicolor long-jawed orbweaver Tetragnatha versicolor | 14 | 64% |
| 3 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 13 | 4% |
| 4 | Desert blond tarantula Aphonopelma chalcodes | 9 | 3% |
| 5 | Giant crab spider Olios giganteus | 9 | 6% |
| 6 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 8 | 5% |
| 7 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | 6 | 13% |
| 8 | Arizona black Aphonopelma marxi | 4 | 19% |
| 9 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 3 | 4% |
| 10 | Phidippus asotus | 3 | 38% |
| 11 | Koch's wolf spider Alopecosa kochi | 2 | 3% |
| 12 | Marbled cellar spider Holocnemus pluchei | 2 | 11% |
| 13 | Phidippus carneus | 2 | 3% |
| 14 | Rabidosa santrita | 2 | 9% |
| 15 | Apache jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus | 1 | 3% |
| 16 | Dysdera crocata | 1 | 50% |
| 17 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 1 | 11% |
| 18 | Aphonopelma mareki | — | — |
| 19 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | — | — |
| 20 | Colonus hesperus | — | — |
| 21 | Habronattus formosus | — | — |
| 22 | Habronattus pyrrithrix | — | — |
| 23 | New Mexico fishing spider Dolomedes gertschi | — | — |
| 24 | Western parson spider Herpyllus propinquus | — | — |
| 25 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | — | — |
When are spiders out in Yavapai County?
Observation records of spiders in Yavapai County run mostly April through December, peaking in May with 24% of them; across Arizona the peak is August.
What stands out in Yavapai County
Species for which Yavapai County holds a large share of all Arizona records: the versicolor long-jawed orbweaver, 64% (14 of 22); Camptocosa parallela, 37% (18 of 49); the Arizona black rattlesnake, 26% (59 of 225); the Mexican garter snake, 20% (18 of 88); the striped whipsnake, 18% (22 of 125); the Sonoran mountain kingsnake, 16% (24 of 149); the southwestern speckled rattlesnake, 15% (28 of 186).
Common in Arizona, not on the Yavapai County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Arizona, these do not reach the county list: the sidewinder (875 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 Carolina wolf spider (80 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 Yavapai County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake. Coral snakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the long-nosed snake and the Sonoran mountain kingsnake.
Yavapai County among Arizona counties
By licensed snake records Yavapai County ranks 6th of 15 Arizona counties with any.
Other Arizona counties with their own page: Pima County, Cochise County, Maricopa County, Pinal County, Santa Cruz County, Coconino 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.