Snakes and spiders in Highlands County, Florida
Highlands County, home of Sebring, has 21 snake and 30 spider species on record, from 211 licensed snake and 549 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern coral snake, the pygmy rattlesnake, the Florida cottonmouth, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the brown widow and the red widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Highlands County?
Yes. The eastern coral snake: 9 licensed records, 4% of all Florida records of it. The pygmy rattlesnake: 5 licensed records, 1% of all Florida records of it. The Florida cottonmouth: 3 licensed records, 1% of all Florida records of it. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake: 2 licensed records, 1% of all Florida records of it. The brown widow: 3 licensed records, 2% of all Florida records of it. The red widow: 2 licensed records, 12% of all Florida records of it.
What snakes are in Highlands County?
In all, 21 snake species are on the Highlands County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (33), the eastern racer (24) and the southern watersnake (19).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 33 | 6% |
| 2 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 24 | 1% |
| 3 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 19 | 1% |
| 4 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 18 | 10% |
| 5 | Florida crowned snake Tantilla relicta | 16 | 9% |
| 6 | Black swamp snake Liodytes pygaea | 13 | 3% |
| 7 | Striped crayfish snake Liodytes alleni | 12 | 3% |
| 8 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 11 | 2% |
| 9 | Eastern coral snake venomous Micrurus fulvius | 9 | 4% |
| 10 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 8 | 1% |
| 11 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 6 | 1% |
| 12 | Brahminy blindsnake introduced Indotyphlops braminus | 5 | 2% |
| 13 | Pygmy rattlesnake venomous Sistrurus miliarius | 5 | 1% |
| 14 | Florida brown snake Storeria victa | 3 | 2% |
| 15 | Florida cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon conanti | 3 | 1% |
| 16 | Eastern diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus adamanteus | 2 | 1% |
| 17 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 2 | 1% |
| 18 | Brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota | 1 | 0% |
| 19 | Florida green water snake Nerodia floridana | 1 | 0% |
| 20 | Scarlet kingsnake Lampropeltis elapsoides | 1 | 1% |
| 21 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Highlands County?
Observation records of snakes in Highlands County run mostly February through October, peaking in February with 26% of them; across Florida the peak is March.
What spiders are in Highlands County?
In all, 30 spider species are on the Highlands County list. The most recorded are the American golden orb weaver (18), Mermessus maculatus (17) and Hogna osceola (14). Highlands County holds more than half of all Florida records of Hogna osceola, Pholcomma carota, the Lake Placid funnel wolf spider and the McCrone's burrowing wolf spider.
Same family (Theridiidae): Latrodectus hesperus| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 18 | 2% |
| 2 | Mermessus maculatus | 17 | 34% |
| 3 | Hogna osceola | 14 | 67% |
| 4 | Florida garden spider Argiope florida | 12 | 26% |
| 5 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 12 | 2% |
| 6 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 11 | 3% |
| 7 | Greater leucauge Leucauge argyra | 10 | 2% |
| 8 | Pholcomma carota | 10 | 77% |
| 9 | Stemmops bicolor | 10 | 34% |
| 10 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 8 | 2% |
| 11 | Tropical orb weaver Eriophora ravilla | 8 | 3% |
| 12 | Huntsman spider Heteropoda venatoria | 6 | 6% |
| 13 | Regal jumper Phidippus regius | 5 | 2% |
| 14 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 4 | 4% |
| 15 | Gray wall jumper Menemerus bivittatus | 4 | 1% |
| 16 | Lake Placid funnel wolf spider Sosippus placidus | 4 | 80% |
| 17 | McCrone's burrowing wolf spider Geolycosa xera | 4 | 67% |
| 18 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 4 | 2% |
| 19 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 4 | 0% |
| 20 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 3 | 3% |
| 21 | Brown widow venomous introduced Latrodectus geometricus | 3 | 2% |
| 22 | Apache jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus | 2 | 25% |
| 23 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 2 | 1% |
| 24 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 2 | 5% |
| 25 | Red widow venomous Latrodectus bishopi | 2 | 12% |
| 26 | Schizocosa ceratiola | 2 | 67% |
| 27 | Sosippus floridanus | 2 | 25% |
| 28 | Global tentweb weaver Cyrtophora citricola | 1 | 2% |
| 29 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 1 | 1% |
| 30 | Geolycosa hubbelli | — | — |
When are spiders out in Highlands County?
Observation records of spiders in Highlands County run mostly June through February, peaking in July with 17% of them; across Florida the peak is April.
What stands out in Highlands County
Species for which Highlands County holds a large share of all Florida records: Hogna osceola, 67% (14 of 21); Stemmops bicolor, 34% (10 of 29); Mermessus maculatus, 34% (17 of 50); the Florida garden spider, 26% (12 of 47).
Common in Florida, not on the Highlands County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Florida, these do not reach the county list: the Burmese python (8,141 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 Florida, these do not reach the county list: the magnolia green jumper (341 statewide) and the twin-flagged jumping spider (247 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Highlands County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Florida list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the corn snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the southern watersnake, the brown water snake and the Florida green water snake. Coral snakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the scarlet kingsnake and the scarlet snake.
Highlands County among Florida counties
By licensed snake records Highlands County ranks 18th of 67 Florida counties with any.
Other Florida counties with their own page: Miami-Dade County, Collier County, Alachua County, Monroe County, Broward County, Lee County, Orange County and Marion County.
The whole state: venomous species in Florida, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.