Venomous snakes and spiders in Tennessee

Tennessee's venomous snakes are two copperhead or cottonmouth species and one rattlesnake species. Together they account for 327 licensed records; the eastern copperhead alone has 43% of them, and the least recorded, the timber rattlesnake, has 50.

Also recorded in Tennessee under any license, but fewer than 10 times and so not counted above: the pygmy rattlesnake (4). Such records can be genuine rarities, strays or old misidentifications; see the rare list.

Two widow species (Northern black widow: 20 records, Southern black widow: 19 records) and one recluse species (Brown recluse: 37 records) are on the Tennessee list. Widow bites cause muscle pain and cramps; recluse bites can cause a slow-healing wound. Both are rare and seldom fatal.

Yes. One scorpion species is recorded in Tennessee, from 124 licensed records: Southern unstriped scorpion (119 records). Every scorpion has venom; only the Arizona bark scorpion's sting is medically significant, and it is not on the Tennessee list.

Beyond the main list, one scorpion species is known from Tennessee by only five records of any license. It may be a genuine rarity at the edge of its range, or a stray, a released pet or an old misidentification, so treat it as unconfirmed.

These eight account for 63% of all licensed snake records in Tennessee; the most recorded, the ring-necked snake, alone for 13%.

These eight account for 25% of all licensed spider records in Tennessee; the most recorded, the orchard orbweaver, alone for 5%.

Observation records of venomous snakes in Tennessee run mostly March through November, peaking in July with 18% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 5% of the records.

Observation records of spiders in Tennessee run mostly March through October, peaking in July with 15% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 3% of the records.

Observation records of scorpions in Tennessee run mostly May through October, peaking in June with 25% of them. December through February together hold under 2% of the records, so scorpions in Tennessee are rarely recorded in winter.

Cheatham County has the most records of venomous snakes in Tennessee, 79, most of them of the northern cottonmouth. Stewart County and Blount County follow.

Cheatham County leads with 335 records (13%), followed by Monroe County and Montgomery County; the top five counties hold 34% of the total. 87 of Tennessee's 95 counties have at least one licensed snake record.

Tennessee counties with their own page: Cheatham County, Knox County and Sevier County.

Yes. Tennessee has three venomous snake species on its list, the kind people usually call poisonous: eastern copperhead, northern cottonmouth and timber rattlesnake. The pygmy rattlesnake is recorded there too, but only four times (records of any license), too few to list. Strictly, snakes are venomous (they inject venom), not poisonous (harmful to eat or touch).

Yes. One species is on the Tennessee list: the timber rattlesnake, with 50 licensed records. Most licensed records of the timber rattlesnake come from Blount County, Sevier County and Marion County. The pygmy rattlesnake is recorded there too, but only four times (records of any license), too few to list.

Yes. One species is on the Tennessee list: the eastern copperhead, with 139 licensed records. Most licensed records of the eastern copperhead come from Stewart County, Blount County and Davidson County.

Yes. One species is on the Tennessee list: the northern cottonmouth, with 138 licensed records. Most licensed records of the northern cottonmouth come from Cheatham County, Humphreys County and Dickson County.

No. GBIF holds no coral snake record for Tennessee under any license.

Tennessee has 139 licensed records of the eastern copperhead, which ranks the state 11th of the 27 states where it reaches our threshold. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly April through September, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Stewart County, Blount County and Davidson County. Range in other states and photos: Eastern copperhead profile.

Tennessee has 138 licensed records of the northern cottonmouth, which ranks the state 12th of the 16 states where it reaches our threshold. Its observation records in Tennessee run through most of the year, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Cheatham County, Humphreys County and Dickson County. Range in other states and photos: Northern cottonmouth profile.

Tennessee has 50 licensed records of the timber rattlesnake, which ranks the state 12th of the 30 states where it reaches our threshold. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly April through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Blount County, Sevier County and Marion County. Range in other states and photos: Timber rattlesnake profile.

Many snakes and spiders taken for venomous ones are harmless species with a similar look. These are the usual confusions, with each species' licensed records in Tennessee.

Copperheads: 139 licensed records in Tennessee. Harmless species often taken for them are also on the state list: northern water snake (328), eastern rat snake (215), eastern milksnake (62), plain-bellied watersnake (61) and corn snake (39). Together they have 732 licensed records, and the lookalikes are recorded 5 times as often.

Cottonmouths: 138 licensed records in Tennessee. Harmless species often taken for them are also on the state list: northern water snake (328), diamondback water snake (67), plain-bellied watersnake (61), southern watersnake (11) and mud snake (6). Together they have 473 licensed records, and the lookalikes are recorded 3 times as often.

Rattlesnakes: 50 licensed records in Tennessee. Harmless species often taken for them are also on the state list: eastern hog-nosed snake (26) and pine snake (3). Together they have 29 licensed records, and here the venomous species are the more recorded side, 1.7 to 1.

No coral snakes reach the Tennessee list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Tennessee under any license, so a snake taken for one here is most likely a harmless lookalike. Those recorded in the state: eastern milksnake (62) and scarlet snake (5).

Widow spiders: 39 licensed records in Tennessee. Harmless species often taken for them are also on the state list: triangulate bud spider (42), common house spider (14), false black widow (11), twospotted cobweb spider (2) and boreal combfoot (1). Together they have 70 licensed records, and the lookalikes are recorded 1.8 times as often.

Recluse spiders: 37 licensed records in Tennessee. Harmless species often taken for them are also on the state list: longbodied cellar spider (16), dark-legged grass spider (2) and southern house spider (2). Together they have 20 licensed records, and here the venomous species are the more recorded side, 1.8 to 1.

By count of venomous snake species, Tennessee ranks 20th of 50 states, level with 8 other states. Nationally, Arizona leads with 14 species; five list none.

Of the eight states bordering Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and North Carolina list more venomous snake species; Kentucky and Virginia list as many (Tennessee: 3 species; Georgia 7, Alabama 6, Arkansas 5, Mississippi 5, Missouri 5, North Carolina 5, Kentucky 3, Virginia 3).

Venomous snakes listed next door but not in Tennessee: the eastern coral snake (Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina); the Florida cottonmouth (Georgia); the western diamondback rattlesnake (Arkansas); the western massasauga (Missouri). Listed next door and recorded in Tennessee too, but too few times to list (records of any license): the pygmy rattlesnake, recorded here only four times (listed in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri and North Carolina); the eastern diamondback rattlesnake, recorded here only one time (listed in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi). The most widely shared are the eastern copperhead, the northern cottonmouth and the timber rattlesnake, each listed in all eight bordering states.

Yes. Two widow species are on the Tennessee list: the northern black widow (20 records) and the southern black widow (19 records).

Yes. The brown recluse is on the Tennessee list, with 37 licensed records. Most of its licensed records come from Davidson County, Williamson County and Montgomery County.

Tennessee has 37 licensed records of the brown recluse, which ranks the state 8th of the 16 states where it reaches our threshold. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly March through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Davidson County, Williamson County and Montgomery County. Range in other states and photos: Brown recluse profile.

Tennessee has 20 licensed records of the northern black widow, which ranks the state 8th of the 30 states where it reaches our threshold. Range in other states and photos: Northern black widow profile.

Tennessee has 19 licensed records of the southern black widow, which ranks the state 14th of the 22 states where it reaches our threshold. Range in other states and photos: Southern black widow profile.