Snakes and spiders in Craighead County, Arkansas
Craighead County, home of Jonesboro, has 9 snake and 20 spider species on record, from 48 licensed snake and 426 spider records. Venomous species here: the brown recluse and the southern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Craighead County?
Yes. The brown recluse: 16 licensed records, 41% of all Arkansas records of it. The southern black widow: 6 licensed records, 27% of all Arkansas records of it.
What snakes are in Craighead County?
In all, 9 snake species are on the Craighead County list. The most recorded are the plain-bellied watersnake (7), the common garter snake (6) and the eastern racer (5).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arkansas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 7 | 3% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 6 | 7% |
| 3 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 5 | 4% |
| 4 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 4 | 4% |
| 5 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 3 | 12% |
| 6 | Speckled kingsnake Lampropeltis holbrooki | 3 | 2% |
| 7 | Western rat snake Pantherophis obsoletus | 3 | 2% |
| 8 | Western ribbon snake Thamnophis proximus | 3 | 3% |
| 9 | Diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer | 2 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Craighead County?
Observation records of snakes in Craighead County run mostly April through September, peaking in April with 19% of them; across Arkansas the peak is May.
What spiders are in Craighead County?
In all, 20 spider species are on the Craighead County list. The most recorded are the bronze jumper (21), the brown recluse (16) and the arabesque orbweaver (15). Craighead County holds more than half of all Arkansas records of the flea jumping spider, the canopy jumping spider, the white-banded fishing spider and Tigrosa annexa.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Arkansas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 21 | 45% |
| 2 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | 16 | 41% |
| 3 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 15 | 33% |
| 4 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 15 | 21% |
| 5 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 14 | 29% |
| 6 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 11 | 69% |
| 7 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 11 | 44% |
| 8 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 11 | 41% |
| 9 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 10 | 45% |
| 10 | Canopy jumping spider Phidippus otiosus | 9 | 69% |
| 11 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 9 | 32% |
| 12 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 8 | 23% |
| 13 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 8 | 27% |
| 14 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 8 | 50% |
| 15 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 7 | 19% |
| 16 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 6 | 27% |
| 17 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 5 | 8% |
| 18 | Tigrosa annexa | 4 | 100% |
| 19 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 3 | 7% |
| 20 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 2 | 6% |
When are spiders out in Craighead County?
Observation records of spiders in Craighead County run mostly April through November, peaking in October with 17% of them; across Arkansas the peak is May.
What stands out in Craighead County
Species for which Craighead County holds a large share of all Arkansas records: the Georgia wolf spider, 45% (10 of 22); the bronze jumper, 45% (21 of 47); Paraphidippus aurantius, 44% (11 of 25); the brown recluse, 41% (16 of 39); the sylvan jumping spider, 41% (11 of 27); the arabesque orbweaver, 33% (15 of 46); the familiar jumping spider, 29% (14 of 48); the black-and-yellow argiope, 21% (15 of 71).
Common in Arkansas, not on the Craighead County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Arkansas, these do not reach the county list: the ring-necked snake (212 statewide), the northern cottonmouth (190 statewide), the eastern copperhead (130 statewide), the southern watersnake (130 statewide) and the northern water snake (102 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 Arkansas, these do not reach the county list: the dark fishing spider (35 statewide), the wetland giant wolf spider (34 statewide) and the marbled orbweaver (32 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Craighead County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Arkansas list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the plain-bellied watersnake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth is on the Arkansas list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the plain-bellied watersnake and the diamondback water snake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the timber rattlesnake, the pygmy rattlesnake and the western diamondback rattlesnake are on the Arkansas list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern hog-nosed snake.
Craighead County among Arkansas counties
By licensed snake records Craighead County ranks 13th of 68 Arkansas counties with any.
Other Arkansas counties with their own page: Lonoke County.
The whole state: venomous species in Arkansas, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.