Snakes and spiders in Weld County, Colorado
Weld County, home of Greeley, has 9 snake and 42 spider species on record, from 916 licensed snake and 92 spider records. Venomous species here: the prairie rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Weld County?
Yes. The prairie rattlesnake: 850 licensed records, 64% of all Colorado records of it. The western black widow: 2 licensed records, 1% of all Colorado records of it.
What snakes are in Weld County?
In all, 9 snake species are on the Weld County list. The most recorded are the prairie rattlesnake (850), the gopher snake (21) and the plains garter snake (12). Weld County holds more than half of all Colorado records of the prairie rattlesnake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Colorado records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prairie rattlesnake venomous Crotalus viridis | 850 | 64% |
| 2 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 21 | 6% |
| 3 | Plains garter snake Thamnophis radix | 12 | 5% |
| 4 | Plains hog-nosed snake Heterodon nasicus | 12 | 27% |
| 5 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 8 | 7% |
| 6 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 5 | 4% |
| 7 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 2 | 5% |
| 8 | Central plains milksnake Lampropeltis gentilis | 1 | 3% |
| 9 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Weld County?
Observation records of snakes in Weld County run mostly April through September, peaking in May with 23% of them, the same peak as Colorado as a whole.
What spiders are in Weld County?
In all, 42 spider species are on the Weld County list. The most recorded are the bold jumper (10), Dictyna volucripes (10) and the Apache jumping spider (4). Weld County holds more than half of all Colorado records of Dictyna volucripes, Zelotes puritanus, Agelenopsis oklahoma and Gnaphosa sericata.
Related species: Zelotes fratris
| # | Species | Records | Share of Colorado records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 10 | 1% |
| 2 | Dictyna volucripes | 10 | 100% |
| 3 | Apache jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus | 4 | 2% |
| 4 | Desert red jumping spider Phidippus ardens | 3 | 20% |
| 5 | Habronattus altanus | 3 | 6% |
| 6 | McCook's split wolf spider Schizocosa mccooki | 3 | 14% |
| 7 | Zelotes puritanus | 3 | 60% |
| 8 | Agelenopsis oklahoma | 2 | 100% |
| 9 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 2 | 1% |
| 10 | Gnaphosa sericata | 2 | 100% |
| 11 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 2 | 1% |
| 12 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 1 | 2% |
| 13 | Cat-faced spider Araneus gemmoides | 1 | 4% |
| 14 | Dictyna personata | 1 | 100% |
| 15 | Dictyna terrestris | 1 | 100% |
| 16 | Haplodrassus signifer | 1 | 12% |
| 17 | Steatoda albomaculata | 1 | 20% |
| 18 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 1 | 2% |
| 19 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 1 | 0% |
| 20 | Zelotes lasalanus | 1 | 50% |
| 21 | Drassodes gosiutus | — | — |
| 22 | Drassyllus nannellus | — | — |
| 23 | Drassyllus notonus | — | — |
| 24 | Dysdera crocata | — | — |
| 25 | Euryopis texana | — | — |
| 26 | Gnaphosa clara | — | — |
| 27 | Habronattus klauseri | — | — |
| 28 | Haplodrassus chamberlini | — | — |
| 29 | Hogna coloradensis | — | — |
| 30 | Koch's wolf spider Alopecosa kochi | — | — |
| 31 | Phantyna bicornis | — | — |
| 32 | Psilochorus imitatus | — | — |
| 33 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | — | — |
| 34 | Thanatus formicinus | — | — |
| 35 | Theridion rabuni | — | — |
| 36 | Tibellus duttoni | — | — |
| 37 | Xysticus cunctator | — | — |
| 38 | Xysticus lassanus | — | — |
| 39 | Xysticus orizaba | — | — |
| 40 | Xysticus pellax | — | — |
| 41 | Zelotes anglo | — | — |
| 42 | Zelotes gertschi | — | — |
What stands out in Weld County
Species for which Weld County holds a large share of all Colorado records: the prairie rattlesnake, 64% (850 of 1,328); the plains hog-nosed snake, 27% (12 of 45).
Common in Colorado, not on the Weld County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Colorado, these do not reach the county list: the coachwhip (58 statewide), the western rattlesnake (47 statewide), the western ground snake (36 statewide) and the glossy snake (33 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 Colorado, these do not reach the county list: Habronattus cuspidatus (108 statewide), Pelegrina aeneola (74 statewide), the Texas brown tarantula (71 statewide), the barn funnel weaver (64 statewide), the goldenrod crab spider (57 statewide) and the Groenland wolf spider (51 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Weld County
No copperheads reach the county list, and GBIF holds no copperhead record for Colorado under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the northern water snake and the central plains milksnake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, and GBIF holds no cottonmouth record for Colorado under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the northern water snake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake and the plains hog-nosed snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Colorado under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the central plains milksnake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider.
Weld County among Colorado counties
By licensed snake records Weld County ranks 1st of 63 Colorado counties with any.
Other Colorado counties with their own page: Boulder County, Larimer County and El Paso County.
The whole state: venomous species in Colorado, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.