Snakes and spiders in Doña Ana County, New Mexico
Doña Ana County, home of Las Cruces, has 23 snake and 26 spider species on record, from 747 licensed snake and 594 spider records. Venomous species here: the western diamondback rattlesnake, the prairie rattlesnake, the rock rattlesnake, the eastern black-tailed rattlesnake, the black-tailed rattlesnake, the western black widow and the Apache recluse.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Doña Ana County?
Yes. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 120 licensed records, 18% of all New Mexico records of it. The prairie rattlesnake: 65 licensed records, 11% of all New Mexico records of it. The rock rattlesnake: 22 licensed records, 24% of all New Mexico records of it. The eastern black-tailed rattlesnake: 17 licensed records, 26% of all New Mexico records of it. The black-tailed rattlesnake: 14 licensed records, 9% of all New Mexico records of it. The western black widow: 34 licensed records, 25% of all New Mexico records of it. The Apache recluse: 19 licensed records, 86% of all New Mexico records of it.
What snakes are in Doña Ana County?
In all, 23 snake species are on the Doña Ana County list. The most recorded are the western diamondback rattlesnake (120), the glossy snake (117) and the gopher snake (73). Doña Ana County holds more than half of all New Mexico records of the western threadsnake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of New Mexico records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 120 | 18% |
| 2 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 117 | 39% |
| 3 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 73 | 10% |
| 4 | Prairie rattlesnake venomous Crotalus viridis | 65 | 11% |
| 5 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 49 | 20% |
| 6 | Long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei | 25 | 15% |
| 7 | Plains black-headed snake Tantilla nigriceps | 24 | 26% |
| 8 | Rock rattlesnake venomous Crotalus lepidus | 22 | 24% |
| 9 | Striped whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus | 20 | 16% |
| 10 | Eastern black-tailed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus ornatus | 17 | 26% |
| 11 | Western threadsnake Rena humilis | 16 | 73% |
| 12 | Big Bend patch-nosed snake Salvadora deserticola | 14 | 27% |
| 13 | Black-tailed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus molossus | 14 | 9% |
| 14 | Checkered garter snake Thamnophis marcianus | 13 | 10% |
| 15 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 12 | 35% |
| 16 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 11 | 16% |
| 17 | Mexican hog-nose snake Heterodon kennerlyi | 10 | 19% |
| 18 | Chihuahuan night snake Hypsiglena jani | 9 | 22% |
| 19 | Trans-Pecos rat snake Bogertophis subocularis | 8 | 20% |
| 20 | Desert kingsnake Lampropeltis splendida | 7 | 11% |
| 21 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 7 | 9% |
| 22 | Eastern patch-nosed snake Salvadora grahamiae | 6 | 8% |
| 23 | Blackneck garter snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis | 4 | 2% |
When are snakes out in Doña Ana County?
Observation records of snakes in Doña Ana County run mostly April through October, peaking in August with 19% of them, the same peak as New Mexico as a whole.
What spiders are in Doña Ana County?
In all, 26 spider species are on the Doña Ana County list. The most recorded are the western black widow (34), the Apache recluse (19) and the Texas brown tarantula (16). Doña Ana County holds more than half of all New Mexico records of the Apache recluse, Camptocosa parallela, Colonus hesperus and Xysticus lassanus.
| # | Species | Records | Share of New Mexico records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 34 | 25% |
| 2 | Apache recluse venomous Loxosceles apachea | 19 | 86% |
| 3 | Texas brown tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi | 16 | 29% |
| 4 | Habronattus conjunctus | 11 | 46% |
| 5 | Camptocosa parallela | 10 | 83% |
| 6 | Habronattus clypeatus | 10 | 42% |
| 7 | Phidippus carneus | 10 | 20% |
| 8 | Colonus hesperus | 9 | 75% |
| 9 | Hogna coloradensis | 9 | 22% |
| 10 | Sassacus papenhoei | 9 | 45% |
| 11 | Xysticus lassanus | 9 | 100% |
| 12 | Arizona black hole spider Kukulcania arizonica | 8 | 100% |
| 13 | Chiricahuan gray tarantula Aphonopelma gabeli | 7 | 41% |
| 14 | Micaria gosiuta | 7 | 100% |
| 15 | Rodeo black Aphonopelma vorhiesi | 7 | 78% |
| 16 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 7 | 16% |
| 17 | Euryopis mulaiki | 6 | 100% |
| 18 | Haplodrassus chamberlini | 6 | 86% |
| 19 | Physocyclus enaulus | 6 | 67% |
| 20 | Geolycosa rafaelana | 5 | 56% |
| 21 | Hesperocosa unica | 5 | 100% |
| 22 | Hogna antelucana | 5 | 42% |
| 23 | Agave jumping spider Paraphidippus basalis | 4 | 80% |
| 24 | Carolina wolf spider Hogna carolinensis | 3 | 13% |
| 25 | Marbled cellar spider Holocnemus pluchei | 3 | 100% |
| 26 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 3 | 38% |
When are spiders out in Doña Ana County?
Observation records of spiders in Doña Ana County run mostly February through October, peaking in August with 22% of them; across New Mexico the peak is September.
What stands out in Doña Ana County
Species for which Doña Ana County holds a large share of all New Mexico records: the Apache recluse, 86% (19 of 22); the western threadsnake, 73% (16 of 22); Habronattus conjunctus, 46% (11 of 24); Habronattus clypeatus, 42% (10 of 24); the glossy snake, 39% (117 of 298); the western ground snake, 35% (12 of 34); the Texas brown tarantula, 29% (16 of 55); the Big Bend patch-nosed snake, 27% (14 of 52).
Common in New Mexico, not on the Doña Ana County list
Among the snakes most recorded across New Mexico, these do not reach the county list: the western terrestrial garter snake (656 statewide) and the Mohave rattlesnake (216 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 New Mexico, these do not reach the county list: the hairy tufted jumping spider (48 statewide), the bold jumper (41 statewide), Habronattus klauseri (32 statewide), the Apache jumping spider (30 statewide) and the banded garden spider (25 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Doña Ana 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, but the Sonoran coralsnake is on the New Mexico list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the long-nosed snake.
Doña Ana County among New Mexico counties
By licensed snake records Doña Ana County ranks 3rd of 33 New Mexico counties with any.
Other New Mexico counties with their own page: Hidalgo County, Eddy County, Grant County and Bernalillo County.
The whole state: venomous species in New Mexico, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.