Snakes and spiders in Parker County, Texas
Parker County, home of Weatherford, has 23 snake and 41 spider species on record, from 397 licensed snake and 431 spider records. Venomous species here: the broad-banded copperhead, the western massasauga, the western diamondback rattlesnake, the northern cottonmouth, the brown recluse, the southern black widow and the western black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Parker County?
Yes. The broad-banded copperhead: 19 licensed records, 5% of all Texas records of it. The western massasauga: 8 licensed records, 3% of all Texas records of it. The western diamondback rattlesnake: 4 licensed records, 0% of all Texas records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 3 licensed records, 0% of all Texas records of it. The brown recluse: 4 licensed records, 4% of all Texas records of it. The southern black widow: 1 licensed record, 0% of all Texas records of it. The western black widow: on record, no openly licensed records to count.
What snakes are in Parker County?
In all, 23 snake species are on the Parker County list. The most recorded are the diamondback water snake (109), the plain-bellied watersnake (69) and the rough earthsnake (43).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diamondback water snake Nerodia rhombifer | 109 | 7% |
| 2 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 69 | 3% |
| 3 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 43 | 3% |
| 4 | Western rat snake Pantherophis obsoletus | 26 | 1% |
| 5 | Broad-banded copperhead venomous Agkistrodon laticinctus | 19 | 5% |
| 6 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 17 | 2% |
| 7 | Western ground snake Sonora semiannulata | 14 | 1% |
| 8 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 11 | 1% |
| 9 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 9 | 0% |
| 10 | Great Plains rat snake Pantherophis emoryi | 8 | 1% |
| 11 | Western massasauga venomous Sistrurus tergeminus | 8 | 3% |
| 12 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 6 | 1% |
| 13 | Texas blind snake Rena dulcis | 6 | 1% |
| 14 | Western ribbon snake Thamnophis proximus | 6 | 0% |
| 15 | Gopher snake Pituophis catenifer | 4 | 0% |
| 16 | Western diamondback rattlesnake venomous Crotalus atrox | 4 | 0% |
| 17 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 3 | 0% |
| 18 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 3 | 1% |
| 19 | Speckled kingsnake Lampropeltis holbrooki | 3 | 2% |
| 20 | Brazos water snake Nerodia harteri | 1 | 0% |
| 21 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 1 | 0% |
| 22 | Lined snake Tropidoclonion lineatum | 1 | 0% |
| 23 | Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Parker County?
Observation records of snakes in Parker County run mostly March through August, peaking in April with 24% of them, the same peak as Texas as a whole.
What spiders are in Parker County?
In all, 41 spider species are on the Parker County list. The most recorded are the nursery web spider (116), the black-and-yellow argiope (50) and the bold jumper (28).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Texas records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 116 | 28% |
| 2 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 50 | 3% |
| 3 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 28 | 2% |
| 4 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 21 | 2% |
| 5 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 14 | 6% |
| 6 | Carolina jumping spider Phidippus carolinensis | 13 | 9% |
| 7 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 13 | 2% |
| 8 | Deadly ground crab spider Xysticus funestus | 8 | 13% |
| 9 | Dotted wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata | 8 | 8% |
| 10 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 8 | 1% |
| 11 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 7 | 2% |
| 12 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 6 | 5% |
| 13 | High eye-lashed jumping spider Phidippus mystaceus | 6 | 15% |
| 14 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 6 | 3% |
| 15 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 5 | 1% |
| 16 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 5 | 4% |
| 17 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 5 | 5% |
| 18 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | 4 | 4% |
| 19 | Hogna antelucana | 4 | 0% |
| 20 | Phidippus texanus | 4 | 3% |
| 21 | Pisaurina dubia | 4 | 10% |
| 22 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 3 | 1% |
| 23 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 3 | 2% |
| 24 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 3 | 4% |
| 25 | Cardinal jumper Phidippus cardinalis | 2 | 2% |
| 26 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 2 | 1% |
| 27 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 2 | 0% |
| 28 | Falconina gracilis | 1 | 1% |
| 29 | Habronattus coecatus | 1 | 2% |
| 30 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 1 | 1% |
| 31 | Scytodes atlacoya | 1 | 1% |
| 32 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 1 | 0% |
| 33 | Texas brown tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi | 1 | 0% |
| 34 | Western spotted orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis | 1 | 0% |
| 35 | Celer crab spider Mecaphesa celer | — | — |
| 36 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | — | — |
| 37 | Mecaphesa dubia | — | — |
| 38 | Pardosa mercurialis | — | — |
| 39 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | — | — |
| 40 | Tigrosa annexa | — | — |
| 41 | Western black widow venomous Latrodectus hesperus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Parker County?
Observation records of spiders in Parker County run mostly February through October, peaking in February with 18% of them; across Texas the peak is April.
What stands out in Parker County
Species for which Parker County holds a large share of all Texas records: the nursery web spider, 28% (116 of 420).
Common in Texas, not on the Parker County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Texas, these do not reach the county list: the checkered garter snake (1,851 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 spiny-backed orbweaver (751 statewide), the twin-flagged jumping spider (669 statewide) and Cicurina varians (514 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Parker County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the plain-bellied watersnake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the diamondback water snake and the plain-bellied watersnake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the Great Plains rat snake, the gopher snake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider.
Parker County among Texas counties
By licensed snake records Parker County ranks 23rd of 254 Texas counties with any.
Other Texas counties with their own page: Travis County, Brewster County, Harris County, Brazos County, El Paso County, Jeff Davis County, Val Verde County and Bexar 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.