Snakes and spiders in Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara County, home of Santa Barbara, has 14 snake and 48 spider species on record, from 1,241 licensed snake and 3,547 spider records. Venomous species here: the western rattlesnake, the western black widow and the brown widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Santa Barbara County?
Yes. The western rattlesnake: 183 licensed records, 4% of all California records of it. The western black widow: 20 licensed records, 2% of all California records of it. The brown widow: 5 licensed records, 1% of all California records of it.
What snakes are in Santa Barbara County?
In all, 14 snake species are on the Santa Barbara County list. The most recorded are the gopher snake (383), the western rattlesnake (183) and the two-striped garter snake (132).
| # | Species | Records | Share of California records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 383 | 5% |
| 2 | Western rattlesnake venomous Crotalus oreganus | 183 | 4% |
| 3 | Two-striped garter snake Thamnophis hammondii | 132 | 8% |
| 4 | California kingsnake Lampropeltis californiae | 121 | 5% |
| 5 | Aquatic garter snake Thamnophis atratus | 71 | 2% |
| 6 | Striped racer Masticophis lateralis | 61 | 5% |
| 7 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 54 | 4% |
| 8 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 52 | 3% |
| 9 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 51 | 0% |
| 10 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 42 | 1% |
| 11 | California mountain kingsnake Lampropeltis zonata | 23 | 4% |
| 12 | Western patch-nosed snake Salvadora hexalepis | 13 | 2% |
| 13 | Western aquatic garter snake Thamnophis couchii | 10 | 0% |
| 14 | Coast nightsnake Hypsiglena ochrorhynchus | 6 | 3% |
When are snakes out in Santa Barbara County?
Observation records of snakes in Santa Barbara County run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 23% of them; across California the peak is May.
What spiders are in Santa Barbara County?
In all, 48 spider species are on the Santa Barbara County list. The most recorded are the green lynx spider (77), the western lynx spider (68) and the sixspotted orbweaver (67). Santa Barbara County holds more than half of all California records of the bowl and doily spider and the Gertsch's triangleweaver.
| # | Species | Records | Share of California records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 77 | 21% |
| 2 | Western lynx spider Oxyopes scalaris | 68 | 6% |
| 3 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 67 | 30% |
| 4 | Silver argiope Argiope argentata | 53 | 7% |
| 5 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 46 | 59% |
| 6 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 36 | 5% |
| 7 | Gertsch's triangleweaver Hyptiotes gertschi | 32 | 74% |
| 8 | Steatoda nobilis | 29 | 2% |
| 9 | Habronattus tarsalis | 22 | 10% |
| 10 | Uloborus diversus | 20 | 13% |
| 11 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 20 | 2% |
| 12 | Xysticus californicus | 17 | 18% |
| 13 | Habronattus californicus | 16 | 14% |
| 14 | Johnson jumper Phidippus johnsoni | 16 | 2% |
| 15 | Cat-faced spider Araneus gemmoides | 13 | 19% |
| 16 | Dysdera crocata | 12 | 2% |
| 17 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 12 | 2% |
| 18 | Koch's wolf spider Alopecosa kochi | 11 | 1% |
| 19 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 8 | 3% |
| 20 | McCook's split wolf spider Schizocosa mccooki | 8 | 4% |
| 21 | Beach-dwelling jumping spider Terralonus californicus | 7 | 8% |
| 22 | California red jumping spider Phidippus adumbratus | 7 | 4% |
| 23 | Buttonhook leafbeetle jumping spider Sassacus vitis | 6 | 1% |
| 24 | Colonus hesperus | 6 | 1% |
| 25 | Araneus andrewsi | 5 | 7% |
| 26 | Bay Area blonde Aphonopelma iodius | 5 | 2% |
| 27 | Brown widow venomous introduced Latrodectus geometricus | 5 | 1% |
| 28 | False black widow Steatoda grossa | 5 | 0% |
| 29 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | 5 | 6% |
| 30 | Bull-headed sac spider Trachelas pacificus | 4 | 2% |
| 31 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 4 | 1% |
| 32 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 4 | 1% |
| 33 | Cribellate spider Metaltella simoni | 3 | 1% |
| 34 | Gem-shaped orbweaver Araneus gemma | 3 | 4% |
| 35 | Gray house spider Badumna longinqua | 3 | 1% |
| 36 | Mexigonus minutus | 3 | 3% |
| 37 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 3 | 5% |
| 38 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 2 | 1% |
| 39 | Cyclosa turbinata | 2 | 1% |
| 40 | Diaea livens | 2 | 5% |
| 41 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 2 | 10% |
| 42 | Pecos brown Aphonopelma steindachneri | 2 | 3% |
| 43 | Phidippus kastoni | 2 | 6% |
| 44 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 1 | 0% |
| 45 | Western parson spider Herpyllus propinquus | 1 | 1% |
| 46 | Hibana incursa | — | — |
| 47 | Phanias harfordi | — | — |
| 48 | Salticus palpalis | — | — |
When are spiders out in Santa Barbara County?
Observation records of spiders in Santa Barbara County run through most of the year, peaking in October with 22% of them; across California the peak is April.
What stands out in Santa Barbara County
Species for which Santa Barbara County holds a large share of all California records: the Gertsch's triangleweaver, 74% (32 of 43); the bowl and doily spider, 59% (46 of 78); the sixspotted orbweaver, 30% (67 of 225); the green lynx spider, 21% (77 of 371); the cat-faced spider, 19% (13 of 68); Xysticus californicus, 18% (17 of 92).
Common in California, not on the Santa Barbara County list
Among the snakes most recorded across California, these do not reach the county list: the sidewinder (1,923 statewide), the western shovel-nosed snake (1,482 statewide) and the glossy snake (1,425 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), the marbled cellar spider (805 statewide) and Habronattus pyrrithrix (800 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Santa Barbara County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake. Coral snakes are not on the California list, but GBIF holds 3 coral snake records of any license in California (Sonoran coralsnake 3): treat any snake like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the California mountain kingsnake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the false black widow. No recluse spiders reach the county list, but the desert recluse is on the California list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider.
Santa Barbara County among California counties
By licensed snake records Santa Barbara County ranks 19th of 58 California counties with any.
Other California counties with their own page: San Diego County, Lassen County, Shasta County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Humboldt County, Sonoma County and San Mateo 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.