Snakes and spiders in Lassen County, California
Lassen County, home of Susanville, has 8 snake and 11 spider species on record, from 7,781 licensed snake and 109 spider records. Venomous species here: the western rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Lassen County?
Yes. The western rattlesnake: 28 licensed records, 1% of all California records of it. The western black widow: on record, no openly licensed records to count.
What snakes are in Lassen County?
In all, 8 snake species are on the Lassen County list. The most recorded are the western terrestrial garter snake (6,630), the common garter snake (897) and the western aquatic garter snake (128).
| # | Species | Records | Share of California records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 6,630 | 30% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 897 | 16% |
| 3 | Western aquatic garter snake Thamnophis couchii | 128 | 3% |
| 4 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 54 | 1% |
| 5 | Western rattlesnake venomous Crotalus oreganus | 28 | 1% |
| 6 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 20 | 2% |
| 7 | Northern rubber boa Charina bottae | 11 | 2% |
| 8 | Striped whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus | 10 | 11% |
What spiders are in Lassen County?
In all, 11 spider species are on the Lassen County list. The most recorded are the Koch's wolf spider (3), the western lynx spider (2) and Antrodiaetus montanus (1). Lassen County holds more than half of all California records of Antrodiaetus montanus.
| # | Species | Records | Share of California records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koch's wolf spider Alopecosa kochi | 3 | 0% |
| 2 | Western lynx spider Oxyopes scalaris | 2 | 0% |
| 3 | Antrodiaetus montanus | 1 | 50% |
| 4 | Habronattus americanus | 1 | 0% |
| 5 | Pelegrina aeneola | 1 | 1% |
| 6 | Phidippus nikites | 1 | 3% |
| 7 | California flattened jumping spider Platycryptus californicus | — | — |
| 8 | Hirsute paradise spider Habronattus hirsutus | — | — |
| 9 | Johnson jumper Phidippus johnsoni | — | — |
| 10 | Sassacus papenhoei | — | — |
| 11 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | — | — |
What stands out in Lassen County
Species for which Lassen County holds a large share of all California records: the western terrestrial garter snake, 30% (6,630 of 21,830); the common garter snake, 16% (897 of 5,777).
Common in California, not on the Lassen County list
Among the snakes most recorded across California, these do not reach the county list: the aquatic garter snake (3,727 statewide), the California kingsnake (2,675 statewide), the sidewinder (1,923 statewide), the ring-necked snake (1,797 statewide), the two-striped garter snake (1,620 statewide) and the western shovel-nosed snake (1,482 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 California, these do not reach the county list: the bold jumper (2,606 statewide), the half-edged wall jumping spider (2,178 statewide), Steatoda nobilis (1,914 statewide), the false black widow (1,201 statewide), the buttonhook leafbeetle jumping spider (825 statewide) and the marbled cellar spider (805 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Lassen County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake.
Lassen County among California counties
By licensed snake records Lassen County ranks 2nd of 58 California counties with any.
Other California counties with their own page: San Diego County, Shasta County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Humboldt County, Sonoma County, San Mateo County and Los Angeles County.
The whole state: venomous species in California, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.