Snakes and spiders in El Paso County, Texas
El Paso County, home of El Paso, has 25 snake and 17 spider species on record, from 1,026 licensed snake and 114 spider records. Venomous species here: the western diamondback rattlesnake, the eastern black-tailed rattlesnake, the prairie rattlesnake, the rock rattlesnake, the western black widow and the Apache recluse.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in El Paso County?
Yes. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 114 licensed records, 4% of all Texas records of it. The eastern black-tailed rattlesnake: 66 licensed records, 17% of all Texas records of it. The prairie rattlesnake: 47 licensed records, 10% of all Texas records of it. The rock rattlesnake: 38 licensed records, 15% of all Texas records of it. The western black widow: 2 licensed records, 1% of all Texas records of it. The Apache recluse: 1 licensed record, 100% of all Texas records of it.
What snakes are in El Paso County?
In all, 25 snake species are on the El Paso County list. The most recorded are the western diamondback rattlesnake (114), the gopher snake (106) and the glossy snake (97). El Paso County holds more than half of all Texas records of the Texas lyre snake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 114 | 4% |
| 2 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 106 | 7% |
| 3 | Glossy snake Arizona elegans | 97 | 13% |
| 4 | Trans-Pecos rat snake Bogertophis subocularis | 94 | 25% |
| 5 | Eastern black-tailed rattlesnake venomous Crotalus ornatus | 66 | 17% |
| 6 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 49 | 2% |
| 7 | Prairie rattlesnake venomous Crotalus viridis | 47 | 10% |
| 8 | Striped whipsnake Masticophis taeniatus | 40 | 11% |
| 9 | Chihuahuan night snake Hypsiglena jani | 38 | 6% |
| 10 | Rock rattlesnake venomous Crotalus lepidus | 38 | 15% |
| 11 | Texas lyre snake Trimorphodon vilkinsonii | 34 | 59% |
| 12 | Blackneck garter snake Thamnophis cyrtopsis | 28 | 6% |
| 13 | Southwestern blackhead snake Tantilla hobartsmithi | 28 | 23% |
| 14 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 27 | 1% |
| 15 | Long-nosed snake Rhinocheilus lecontei | 26 | 4% |
| 16 | Plains black-headed snake Tantilla nigriceps | 25 | 6% |
| 17 | Checkered garter snake Thamnophis marcianus | 24 | 1% |
| 18 | Western threadsnake Rena humilis | 20 | 43% |
| 19 | Big Bend patch-nosed snake Salvadora deserticola | 16 | 27% |
| 20 | Grey-banded kingsnake Lampropeltis alterna | 13 | 7% |
| 21 | Great Plains rat snake Pantherophis emoryi | 12 | 2% |
| 22 | Chihuahuan hook-nosed snake Gyalopion canum | 11 | 8% |
| 23 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 11 | 2% |
| 24 | Eastern patch-nosed snake Salvadora grahamiae | 4 | 1% |
| 25 | Desert kingsnake Lampropeltis splendida | 3 | 3% |
When are snakes out in El Paso County?
Observation records of snakes in El Paso County run mostly April through October, peaking in April with 32% of them, the same peak as Texas as a whole.
What spiders are in El Paso County?
In all, 17 spider species are on the El Paso County list. The most recorded are Geolycosa rafaelana (14), the western spotted orbweaver (8) and the half-edged wall jumping spider (4). El Paso County holds more than half of all Texas records of Geolycosa rafaelana, the half-edged wall jumping spider, the false black widow and the Apache recluse.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geolycosa rafaelana | 14 | 93% |
| 2 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 8 | 2% |
| 3 | Half-edged wall jumping spider Menemerus semilimbatus | 4 | 100% |
| 4 | Texas brown tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi | 4 | 1% |
| 5 | Apache jumping spider Phidippus apacheanus | 3 | 4% |
| 6 | Colonus hesperus | 3 | 11% |
| 7 | False black widow Steatoda grossa | 2 | 100% |
| 8 | Phidippus vexans | 2 | 13% |
| 9 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | 2 | 1% |
| 10 | Apache recluse venomous Loxosceles apachea | 1 | 100% |
| 11 | Chiricahuan gray tarantula Aphonopelma gabeli | 1 | 5% |
| 12 | Hairy tufted jumping spider Phidippus comatus | 1 | 50% |
| 13 | Marbled cellar spider Holocnemus pluchei | 1 | 7% |
| 14 | Habronattus klauseri | — | — |
| 15 | Hogna antelucana | — | — |
| 16 | Rodeo black Aphonopelma vorhiesi | — | — |
| 17 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | — | — |
When are spiders out in El Paso County?
Observation records of spiders in El Paso County run through most of the year, peaking in August with 16% of them; across Texas the peak is April.
What stands out in El Paso County
Species for which El Paso County holds a large share of all Texas records: the Texas lyre snake, 59% (34 of 58); the western threadsnake, 43% (20 of 47); the Big Bend patch-nosed snake, 27% (16 of 59); the Trans-Pecos rat snake, 25% (94 of 373); the southwestern blackhead snake, 23% (28 of 120); the eastern black-tailed rattlesnake, 17% (66 of 394).
Common in Texas, not on the El Paso County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Texas, these do not reach the county list: the western ribbon snake (2,587 statewide), the plain-bellied watersnake (2,226 statewide), the western rat snake (1,769 statewide), the diamondback water snake (1,612 statewide), the rough earthsnake (1,448 statewide) and the eastern copperhead (1,188 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 Texas, these do not reach the county list: the black-and-yellow argiope (1,979 statewide), the bold jumper (1,454 statewide), the rabid wolf spider (1,048 statewide), the green lynx spider (864 statewide), the spiny-backed orbweaver (751 statewide) and the twin-flagged jumping spider (669 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in El Paso County
Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the gopher snake and the Great Plains rat snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, but the Texas coral snake is on the Texas list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the long-nosed snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the false black widow and the triangulate bud spider.
El Paso County among Texas counties
By licensed snake records El Paso County ranks 5th of 254 Texas counties with any.
Other Texas counties with their own page: Travis County, Brewster County, Harris County, Brazos County, Jeff Davis County, Val Verde County, Bexar County and Hudspeth County.
The whole state: venomous species in Texas, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.