Snakes and spiders in Monroe County, Florida
Monroe County, home of Key West, has 23 snake and 18 spider species on record, from 1,218 licensed snake and 737 spider records. Venomous species here: the Florida cottonmouth, the northern cottonmouth, the pygmy rattlesnake, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake and the eastern coral snake.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Monroe County?
Yes. The Florida cottonmouth: 17 licensed records, 4% of all Florida records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 11 licensed records, 4% of all Florida records of it. The pygmy rattlesnake: 9 licensed records, 2% of all Florida records of it. The eastern diamondback rattlesnake: 7 licensed records, 2% of all Florida records of it. The eastern coral snake: 6 licensed records, 3% of all Florida records of it.
What snakes are in Monroe County?
In all, 23 snake species are on the Monroe County list. The most recorded are the Burmese python (636), the eastern racer (102) and the corn snake (85).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burmese python introduced Python bivittatus | 636 | 8% |
| 2 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 102 | 6% |
| 3 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 85 | 12% |
| 4 | Salt marsh snake Nerodia clarkii | 72 | 25% |
| 5 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 64 | 4% |
| 6 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 33 | 4% |
| 7 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 17 | 13% |
| 8 | Florida cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon conanti | 17 | 4% |
| 9 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 17 | 8% |
| 10 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 15 | 7% |
| 11 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 14 | 8% |
| 12 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 12 | 2% |
| 13 | Brahminy blindsnake introduced Indotyphlops braminus | 11 | 5% |
| 14 | Brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota | 11 | 3% |
| 15 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 11 | 4% |
| 16 | Pygmy rattlesnake venomous Sistrurus miliarius | 9 | 2% |
| 17 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 9 | 2% |
| 18 | Eastern diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus adamanteus | 7 | 2% |
| 19 | Florida green water snake Nerodia floridana | 7 | 2% |
| 20 | Eastern coral snake venomous Micrurus fulvius | 6 | 3% |
| 21 | Florida brown snake Storeria victa | 4 | 3% |
| 22 | Striped crayfish snake Liodytes alleni | 4 | 1% |
| 23 | Mud snake Farancia abacura | 1 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Monroe County?
Observation records of snakes in Monroe County run through most of the year, peaking in March with 12% of them, the same peak as Florida as a whole.
What spiders are in Monroe County?
In all, 18 spider species are on the Monroe County list. The most recorded are the American golden orb weaver (136), the spiny-backed orbweaver (110) and the silver argiope (63). Monroe County holds more than half of all Florida records of Opopaea apicalis and Agyneta serrata.
Same family (Oonopidae): Heteroonops spinimanus
Related species: Agyneta micaria
| # | Species | Records | Share of Florida records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 136 | 14% |
| 2 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 110 | 13% |
| 3 | Silver argiope Argiope argentata | 63 | 41% |
| 4 | Greater leucauge Leucauge argyra | 30 | 6% |
| 5 | Opopaea apicalis | 22 | 100% |
| 6 | Misumenops bellulus | 16 | 23% |
| 7 | Agyneta serrata | 14 | 74% |
| 8 | Tropical orb weaver Eriophora ravilla | 11 | 4% |
| 9 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 10 | 2% |
| 10 | Pardosa littoralis | 9 | 47% |
| 11 | Beata wickhami | 7 | 18% |
| 12 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 7 | 9% |
| 13 | Gray wall jumper Menemerus bivittatus | 4 | 1% |
| 14 | Walckenaer's trashline orbweaver Cyclosa walckenaeri | 4 | 7% |
| 15 | Tigrosa annexa | 3 | 3% |
| 16 | Global tentweb weaver Cyrtophora citricola | 2 | 4% |
| 17 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 2 | 1% |
| 18 | Regal jumper Phidippus regius | — | — |
When are spiders out in Monroe County?
Observation records of spiders in Monroe County run through most of the year, peaking in January with 17% of them; across Florida the peak is April.
What stands out in Monroe County
Species for which Monroe County holds a large share of all Florida records: Opopaea apicalis, 100% (22 of 22); the silver argiope, 41% (63 of 152); the salt marsh snake, 25% (72 of 293); Misumenops bellulus, 23% (16 of 71).
Common in Florida, not on the Monroe County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Florida, these do not reach the county list: the black swamp snake (431 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 green lynx spider (509 statewide), the black-and-yellow argiope (357 statewide), the twin-flagged jumping spider (247 statewide) and the arabesque orbweaver (197 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Monroe 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 and the eastern rat snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the southern watersnake, the brown water snake, the Florida green water snake and the mud snake. Coral snakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the scarlet snake.
Monroe County among Florida counties
By licensed snake records Monroe County ranks 4th of 67 Florida counties with any.
Other Florida counties with their own page: Miami-Dade County, Collier County, Alachua 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.