Snakes and spiders in Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County, home of Portland, has 4 snake and 33 spider species on record, from 255 licensed snake and 701 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the western rattlesnake and the western black widow are on the Oregon list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Multnomah County?
In all, 4 snake species are on the Multnomah County list. The most recorded are the northwestern garter snake (181), the common garter snake (61) and the northern rubber boa (5).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Oregon records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern garter snake Thamnophis ordinoides | 181 | 8% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 61 | 3% |
| 3 | Northern rubber boa Charina bottae | 5 | 2% |
| 4 | Western terrestrial garter snake Thamnophis elegans | 4 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Multnomah County?
Observation records of snakes in Multnomah County run mostly March through November, peaking in April with 21% of them; across Oregon the peak is May.
What spiders are in Multnomah County?
In all, 33 spider species are on the Multnomah County list. The most recorded are the garden spider (134), the bold jumper (118) and the zebra spider (103). Multnomah County holds more than half of all Oregon records of Dysdera crocata, the common candy-striped spider, the barn funnel weaver and the Eurasian running crab spider.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Oregon records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 134 | 36% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 118 | 43% |
| 3 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 103 | 49% |
| 4 | Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia | 38 | 18% |
| 5 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 29 | 47% |
| 6 | Dysdera crocata | 27 | 63% |
| 7 | Giant house spider Eratigena duellica | 25 | 31% |
| 8 | Common candy-striped spider Enoplognatha ovata | 22 | 56% |
| 9 | Barn funnel weaver Tegenaria domestica | 19 | 79% |
| 10 | Eurasian running crab spider Philodromus dispar | 16 | 50% |
| 11 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 14 | 52% |
| 12 | Zygiella x-notata | 12 | 63% |
| 13 | False black widow Steatoda grossa | 10 | 37% |
| 14 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 8 | 25% |
| 15 | Cone-shaped orbweaver Cyclosa conica | 8 | 30% |
| 16 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | 6 | 75% |
| 17 | Downy jumping spider Attulus pubescens | 6 | 100% |
| 18 | Western lynx spider Oxyopes scalaris | 6 | 11% |
| 19 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 5 | 100% |
| 20 | Hobo spider Eratigena agrestis | 5 | 28% |
| 21 | Mouse spider Scotophaeus blackwalli | 5 | 36% |
| 22 | Common foldingdoor spider Antrodiaetus pacificus | 4 | 25% |
| 23 | Habronattus ophrys | 4 | 80% |
| 24 | Sierra dome spider Neriene litigiosa | 4 | 16% |
| 25 | Nearctic white-striped running crab spider Philodromus rufus | 3 | 21% |
| 26 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 3 | 10% |
| 27 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 2 | 11% |
| 28 | Gray house spider Badumna longinqua | 2 | 20% |
| 29 | Metaphidippus manni | 2 | 20% |
| 30 | Phanias harfordi | 2 | 67% |
| 31 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 1 | 4% |
| 32 | Johnson jumper Phidippus johnsoni | — | — |
| 33 | Northern yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium mildei | — | — |
When are spiders out in Multnomah County?
Observation records of spiders in Multnomah County run mostly April through November, peaking in August with 15% of them; across Oregon the peak is June.
What stands out in Multnomah County
Species for which Multnomah County holds a large share of all Oregon records: the barn funnel weaver, 79% (19 of 24); Dysdera crocata, 63% (27 of 43); the common candy-striped spider, 56% (22 of 39); the triangulate bud spider, 52% (14 of 27); the Eurasian running crab spider, 50% (16 of 32); the zebra spider, 49% (103 of 212); the longbodied cellar spider, 47% (29 of 62); the bold jumper, 43% (118 of 274).
Common in Oregon, not on the Multnomah County list
Among the spiders most recorded across Oregon, these do not reach the county list: Habronattus amicus (93 statewide), Habronattus ustulatus (60 statewide) and the California flattened jumping spider (49 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Multnomah County
No widow spiders reach the county list, but the western black widow is on the Oregon list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the triangulate bud spider, the false black widow and the common house spider. No recluse spiders reach the county list, and GBIF holds no recluse spider record for Oregon under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the longbodied cellar spider and the hobo spider.
Multnomah County among Oregon counties
By licensed snake records Multnomah County ranks 11th of 36 Oregon counties with any.
Other Oregon counties with their own page: Jackson County, Klamath County, Columbia County, Lane County, Curry County and Benton County.
The whole state: venomous species in Oregon, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.