Snakes and spiders in Mayes County, Oklahoma
Mayes County, home of Pryor Creek, has 10 snake and 22 spider species on record, from 143 licensed snake and 739 spider records. Venomous species here: the brown recluse.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Mayes County?
Yes. The brown recluse: 29 licensed records, 21% of all Oklahoma records of it.
What snakes are in Mayes County?
In all, 10 snake species are on the Mayes County list. The most recorded are the western ground snake (18), the flathead snake (14) and the plain-bellied watersnake (14).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Oklahoma records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 18 | 1% |
| 2 | Flathead snake Tantilla gracilis | 14 | 1% |
| 3 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 14 | 2% |
| 4 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 12 | 7% |
| 5 | Western ribbon snake Thamnophis proximus | 10 | 2% |
| 6 | Western rat snake Pantherophis obsoletus | 9 | 2% |
| 7 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 8 | 1% |
| 8 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 5 | 2% |
| 9 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 5 | 1% |
| 10 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 4 | 1% |
What spiders are in Mayes County?
In all, 22 spider species are on the Mayes County list. The most recorded are the familiar jumping spider (76), the nursery web spider (46) and the black-and-yellow argiope (45). Mayes County holds more than half of all Oklahoma records of the nursery web spider, the whitebanded crab spider, the common house spider and Paraphidippus aurantius.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Oklahoma records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 76 | 31% |
| 2 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 46 | 68% |
| 3 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 45 | 22% |
| 4 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 44 | 29% |
| 5 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 42 | 61% |
| 6 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 38 | 7% |
| 7 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | 29 | 21% |
| 8 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 24 | 15% |
| 9 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 22 | 24% |
| 10 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 22 | 22% |
| 11 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 21 | 88% |
| 12 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 20 | 22% |
| 13 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 18 | 51% |
| 14 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 18 | 40% |
| 15 | Pardosa mercurialis | 17 | 25% |
| 16 | Shore spider Pardosa milvina | 17 | 36% |
| 17 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 16 | 11% |
| 18 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 14 | 70% |
| 19 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 13 | 41% |
| 20 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 12 | 35% |
| 21 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 11 | 24% |
| 22 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 10 | 40% |
When are spiders out in Mayes County?
Observation records of spiders in Mayes County run mostly April through September, peaking in July with 20% of them; across Oklahoma the peak is September.
What stands out in Mayes County
Species for which Mayes County holds a large share of all Oklahoma records: the common house spider, 88% (21 of 24); the Georgia wolf spider, 70% (14 of 20); the nursery web spider, 68% (46 of 68); the whitebanded crab spider, 61% (42 of 69); Paraphidippus aurantius, 51% (18 of 35); the parson spider, 41% (13 of 32); the sylvan jumping spider, 40% (18 of 45); the orchard orbweaver, 40% (10 of 25).
Common in Oklahoma, not on the Mayes County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Oklahoma, these do not reach the county list: the coachwhip (542 statewide), the diamondback water snake (506 statewide), the lined snake (480 statewide), the northern cottonmouth (429 statewide) and the western diamondback rattlesnake (417 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 Oklahoma, these do not reach the county list: the bronze jumper (75 statewide) and the Texas brown tarantula (75 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Mayes County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead and the broad-banded copperhead are on the Oklahoma list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the plain-bellied watersnake and the northern water snake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth is on the Oklahoma list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the plain-bellied watersnake and the northern water snake. No widow spiders reach the county list, but the southern black widow, the western black widow and the northern black widow are on the Oklahoma list: treat any spider like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the common house spider.
Mayes County among Oklahoma counties
By licensed snake records Mayes County ranks 29th of 77 Oklahoma counties with any.
Other Oklahoma counties with their own page: Tulsa County, Comanche County, LeFlore County, Cleveland County, McCurtain County, Okmulgee County, Marshall County and Rogers County.
The whole state: venomous species in Oklahoma, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.