Snakes and spiders in Nye County, Nevada
Nye County, home of Tonopah, has 16 snake and 5 spider species on record, from 744 licensed snake and 51 spider records. Venomous species here: the sidewinder, the western rattlesnake, the Panamint rattlesnake and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Nye County?
Yes. The sidewinder: 78 licensed records, 26% of all Nevada records of it. The western rattlesnake: 31 licensed records, 7% of all Nevada records of it. The Panamint rattlesnake: 27 licensed records, 25% of all Nevada records of it. The western black widow: 3 licensed records, 8% of all Nevada records of it.
What snakes are in Nye County?
In all, 16 snake species are on the Nye County list. The most recorded are the long-nosed snake (90), the spotted leaf-nosed snake (86) and the gopher snake (82). Nye County holds more than half of all Nevada records of the spotted leaf-nosed snake and the western shovel-nosed snake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Nevada records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei | 90 | 34% |
| 2 | Spotted leaf-nosed snake Phyllorhynchus decurtatus | 86 | 53% |
| 3 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 82 | 12% |
| 4 | Western shovel-nosed snake Sonora occipitalis | 81 | 74% |
| 5 | Sidewinder venomous Crotalus cerastes | 78 | 26% |
| 6 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 48 | 16% |
| 7 | Western patch-nosed snake Salvadora hexalepis | 36 | 27% |
| 8 | Desert nightsnake Hypsiglena chlorophaea | 32 | 31% |
| 9 | Western rattlesnake venomous Crotalus oreganus | 31 | 7% |
| 10 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 31 | 6% |
| 11 | California kingsnake Lampropeltis californiae | 27 | 25% |
| 12 | Panamint rattlesnake venomous Crotalus stephensi | 27 | 25% |
| 13 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 19 | 23% |
| 14 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 18 | 17% |
| 15 | Striped whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus | 18 | 12% |
| 16 | Northern rubber boa Charina bottae | 7 | 17% |
When are snakes out in Nye County?
Observation records of snakes in Nye County run mostly April through September, peaking in May with 31% of them, the same peak as Nevada as a whole.
What spiders are in Nye County?
In all, 5 spider species are on the Nye County list. The most recorded are Habronattus tarsalis (12), the western black widow (3) and the banded garden spider (2).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Nevada records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Habronattus tarsalis | 12 | 21% |
| 2 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 3 | 8% |
| 3 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 2 | 11% |
| 4 | Syspira longipes | 1 | 25% |
| 5 | Bay Area blonde Aphonopelma iodius | — | — |
What stands out in Nye County
Species for which Nye County holds a large share of all Nevada records: the western shovel-nosed snake, 74% (81 of 109); the spotted leaf-nosed snake, 53% (86 of 163); the long-nosed snake, 34% (90 of 263); the desert nightsnake, 31% (32 of 102); the western patch-nosed snake, 27% (36 of 133); the sidewinder, 26% (78 of 305); the Panamint rattlesnake, 25% (27 of 108); the California kingsnake, 25% (27 of 110).
Common in Nevada, not on the Nye County list
Among the spiders most recorded across Nevada, these do not reach the county list: Phidippus californicus (24 statewide), the hirsute paradise spider (21 statewide), the western spotted orbweaver (21 statewide), Plexippoides flavescens (20 statewide), the California flattened jumping spider (15 statewide) and Habronattus americanus (14 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Nye County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Nevada under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the long-nosed snake.
Nye County among Nevada counties
By licensed snake records Nye County ranks 2nd of 17 Nevada counties with any.
Other Nevada counties with their own page: Clark County and Washoe County.
The whole state: venomous species in Nevada, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.