Snakes and spiders in Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County, home of Miami, has 31 snake and 50 spider species on record, from 6,533 licensed snake and 847 spider records. Venomous species here: the Florida cottonmouth, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, the northern cottonmouth, the pygmy rattlesnake, the eastern coral snake and the brown widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Miami-Dade County?
Yes. The Florida cottonmouth: 110 licensed records, 24% of all Florida records of it. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake: 43 licensed records, 11% of all Florida records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 42 licensed records, 15% of all Florida records of it. The pygmy rattlesnake: 28 licensed records, 6% of all Florida records of it. The eastern coral snake: 9 licensed records, 4% of all Florida records of it. The brown widow: 8 licensed records, 5% of all Florida records of it.
What snakes are in Miami-Dade County?
In all, 31 snake species are on the Miami-Dade County list. The most recorded are the Burmese python (4,905), the southern watersnake (176) and the eastern racer (162). Miami-Dade County holds more than half of all Florida records of the Burmese python and Boa constrictor.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burmese python introduced Python bivittatus | 4,905 | 60% |
| 2 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 176 | 12% |
| 3 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 162 | 10% |
| 4 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 134 | 19% |
| 5 | Florida green water snake Nerodia floridana | 134 | 31% |
| 6 | Florida cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon conanti | 110 | 24% |
| 7 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 106 | 19% |
| 8 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 103 | 14% |
| 9 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 72 | 15% |
| 10 | Striped crayfish snake Liodytes alleni | 56 | 15% |
| 11 | Brahminy blindsnake introduced Indotyphlops braminus | 55 | 27% |
| 12 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 44 | 42% |
| 13 | Eastern diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus adamanteus | 43 | 11% |
| 14 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 42 | 15% |
| 15 | introduced Boa constrictor | 37 | 95% |
| 16 | Brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota | 37 | 11% |
| 17 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 35 | 19% |
| 18 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 29 | 14% |
| 19 | Pygmy rattlesnake venomous Sistrurus miliarius | 28 | 6% |
| 20 | Mud snake Farancia abacura | 26 | 14% |
| 21 | Florida brown snake Storeria victa | 23 | 18% |
| 22 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 22 | 10% |
| 23 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 16 | 12% |
| 24 | Salt marsh snake Nerodia clarkii | 13 | 4% |
| 25 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 12 | 25% |
| 26 | Eastern coral snake venomous Micrurus fulvius | 9 | 4% |
| 27 | Black swamp snake Liodytes pygaea | 6 | 1% |
| 28 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 6 | 6% |
| 29 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 5 | 3% |
| 30 | Eastern indigo snake Drymarchon couperi | 4 | 11% |
| 31 | Scarlet kingsnake Lampropeltis elapsoides | 1 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Miami-Dade County?
Observation records of snakes in Miami-Dade County run through most of the year, peaking in March with 14% of them, the same peak as Florida as a whole.
What spiders are in Miami-Dade County?
In all, 50 spider species are on the Miami-Dade County list. The most recorded are the American golden orb weaver (145), the spiny-backed orbweaver (97) and the greater leucauge (89). Miami-Dade County holds more than half of all Florida records of the royal leucauge, the marsh orbweaver and Teminius insularis.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 145 | 15% |
| 2 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 97 | 11% |
| 3 | Greater leucauge Leucauge argyra | 89 | 17% |
| 4 | Tropical orb weaver Eriophora ravilla | 69 | 22% |
| 5 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 63 | 10% |
| 6 | Gray wall jumper Menemerus bivittatus | 37 | 9% |
| 7 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 24 | 12% |
| 8 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 22 | 21% |
| 9 | Huntsman spider Heteropoda venatoria | 22 | 21% |
| 10 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 20 | 6% |
| 11 | Silver argiope Argiope argentata | 20 | 13% |
| 12 | Walckenaer's trashline orbweaver Cyclosa walckenaeri | 13 | 24% |
| 13 | Beata wickhami | 9 | 24% |
| 14 | Tigrosa annexa | 9 | 8% |
| 15 | Brown widow venomous introduced Latrodectus geometricus | 8 | 5% |
| 16 | Regal jumper Phidippus regius | 8 | 4% |
| 17 | Box spider Crossopriza lyoni | 7 | 11% |
| 18 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 7 | 1% |
| 19 | Southern house spider Kukulcania hibernalis | 7 | 11% |
| 20 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 6 | 6% |
| 21 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 6 | 17% |
| 22 | Difoliate orbweaver Acacesia hamata | 5 | 11% |
| 23 | Hentzia chekika | 5 | 29% |
| 24 | Pantropical jumper Plexippus paykulli | 4 | 11% |
| 25 | Bifurcate trashline orbweaver Allocyclosa bifurca | 3 | 5% |
| 26 | Brown spitting spider Scytodes fusca | 3 | 12% |
| 27 | Global tentweb weaver Cyrtophora citricola | 3 | 6% |
| 28 | Larinia directa | 3 | 9% |
| 29 | Misumenops bellulus | 3 | 4% |
| 30 | Royal leucauge Leucauge regnyi | 3 | 100% |
| 31 | Yellow ghost spider Hibana velox | 3 | 11% |
| 32 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | 2 | 7% |
| 33 | Marsh orbweaver Neoscona pratensis | 2 | 50% |
| 34 | Misumessus tamiami | 2 | 8% |
| 35 | Teminius insularis | 2 | 50% |
| 36 | Anelosimus studiosus | 1 | 7% |
| 37 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 1 | 0% |
| 38 | Blacktailed red sheetweaver Florinda coccinea | 1 | 2% |
| 39 | Habronattus brunneus | 1 | 4% |
| 40 | Selenops submaculosus | 1 | 5% |
| 41 | Smeringopus pallidus | 1 | 11% |
| 42 | Starbellied orbweaver Acanthepeira stellata | 1 | 7% |
| 43 | Eris flava | — | — |
| 44 | Featherlegged orbweaver Uloborus glomosus | — | — |
| 45 | Heptagonal orbweaver Gea heptagon | — | — |
| 46 | Physocyclus globosus | — | — |
| 47 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | — | — |
| 48 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | — | — |
| 49 | Slender nursery web spider Pisaurina undulata | — | — |
| 50 | Straight-banded nursery web spider Pisaurina brevipes | — | — |
When are spiders out in Miami-Dade County?
Observation records of spiders in Miami-Dade County run through most of the year, peaking in April with 17% of them, the same peak as Florida as a whole.
What stands out in Miami-Dade County
Species for which Miami-Dade County holds a large share of all Florida records: Boa constrictor, 95% (37 of 39); the Burmese python, 60% (4,905 of 8,141); the northern water snake, 42% (44 of 104); the Florida green water snake, 31% (134 of 431); the Brahminy blindsnake, 27% (55 of 206); the DeKay's brown snake, 25% (12 of 48); the Walckenaer's trashline orbweaver, 24% (13 of 54); the Florida cottonmouth, 24% (110 of 461).
Common in Florida, not on the Miami-Dade County list
Among the spiders most recorded across Florida, these do not reach the county list: 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 Miami-Dade 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, the northern water snake, the eastern rat snake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the southern watersnake, the Florida green water snake, the northern water snake and the brown water snake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern hog-nosed snake. Coral snakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the scarlet snake and the scarlet kingsnake. Recluse spiders are not on the Florida list, but GBIF holds 1 recluse spider record of any license in Florida (brown recluse 1): treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the southern house spider.
Miami-Dade County among Florida counties
By licensed snake records Miami-Dade County ranks 1st of 67 Florida counties with any.
Other Florida counties with their own page: Collier County, Alachua County, Monroe County, Broward County, Lee County, Orange County, Marion County and Palm Beach 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.