Venomous animals in Kansas

Venomous species living here
104 venomous snakes, 3 venomous spiders, 1 scorpion, 2 large centipedes

The ones that need the most respect: prairie rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake. A bite from any of them is a medical emergency.

Dangerous: 2Medically significant: 4Painful, rarely serious: 4
  • 2 dangerous
  • 4 medically significant
  • 4 painful, rarely serious
Venomous snakes
4
Venomous spiders
3
Scorpions
1
Centipedes
2
Open records
2,492
Counties with any record
97

Where they turn up in Kansas

Norton: Prairie rattlesnakeGreenwood: Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Western massasaugaLane: Prairie rattlesnakeMarion: Striped bark scorpion, Western massasaugaBarber: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaThomas: Prairie rattlesnakeFord: Prairie rattlesnakeChase: Copperhead, Striped bark scorpion, Tiger centipede, Western massasaugaWoodson: Copperhead, Western massasaugaWallace: Prairie rattlesnakeFranklin: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaNeosho: Copperhead, Western massasaugaCloud: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaNess: Prairie rattlesnakeAnderson: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaEllis: Prairie rattlesnake, Striped bark scorpion, Tiger centipede, Western massasaugaJackson: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaScott: Prairie rattlesnakePratt: Western massasaugaCrawford: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnakeLyon: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Western diamondback rattlesnake, Western massasaugaGrant: Prairie rattlesnakeGraham: Black widow, Prairie rattlesnakeAllen: Copperhead, Western massasaugaTrego: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaElk: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaHamilton: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaWashington: Western massasaugaGray: Prairie rattlesnakeGeary: Copperhead, Prairie rattlesnake, Striped bark scorpion, Tiger centipede, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaClay: Western massasaugaKiowa: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaOsage: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaSherman: Prairie rattlesnakeRooks: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaSaline: Western massasaugaEllsworth: Prairie rattlesnake, Western diamondback rattlesnake, Western massasaugaMiami: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaStevens: Prairie rattlesnakeDoniphan: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnakeSedgwick: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Western massasaugaSmith: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaHarvey: Western massasaugaCheyenne: Prairie rattlesnakeGreeley: Prairie rattlesnakeSumner: Brown recluse, Western massasaugaPottawatomie: Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Pygmy rattlesnake, Speckled rattlesnake, Striped bark scorpion, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaWilson: Copperhead, Striped bark scorpion, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaChautauqua: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaLinn: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaMitchell: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaHodgeman: Prairie rattlesnakeMorris: Black widowRush: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaStafford: Western massasaugaFinney: Black widow, Brown recluse, Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaJefferson: Copperhead, Gila monster, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaPawnee: Western massasaugaCoffey: Western massasaugaClark: Prairie rattlesnakeStanton: Prairie rattlesnakeComanche: Prairie rattlesnake, Tarantula, Western massasaugaRawlins: Prairie rattlesnakeCherokee: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Giant desert centipedeShawnee: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaAtchison: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnakeJewell: Prairie rattlesnakeMarshall: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaKearny: Prairie rattlesnakeMorton: Black widow, Prairie rattlesnake, Striped bark scorpion, Tiger centipedeOttawa: Western massasaugaRussell: Brown recluse, Striped bark scorpion, Western massasaugaDouglas: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Striped bark scorpion, Tiger centipede, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaRepublic: Western massasaugaLeavenworth: Black widow, Brown recluse, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnakeOsborne: Western massasaugaRice: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaWyandotte: Copperhead, Timber rattlesnakeLabette: Cottonmouth, Western massasaugaJohnson: Black widow, Brown recluse, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnakeDickinson: CopperheadReno: Western massasaugaLogan: Black widow, Prairie rattlesnake, Tarantula, Tiger centipedeHaskell: Prairie rattlesnakeGove: Prairie rattlesnakeWabaunsee: Black widow, Copperhead, Desert recluse, Eastern diamondback rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Striped bark scorpion, Tarantula, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaMeade: Prairie rattlesnake, Tarantula, Western massasaugaHarper: Western massasaugaRiley: Black widow, Brown recluse, Copperhead, Prairie rattlesnake, Striped bark scorpion, Tiger centipede, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaLincoln: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaSeward: Prairie rattlesnakeBarton: Prairie rattlesnake, Western massasaugaMontgomery: Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaMcPherson: Western massasaugaCowley: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Giant desert centipede, Striped bark scorpion, Tarantula, Western diamondback rattlesnake, Western massasaugaBourbon: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnake, Western massasaugaButler: Copperhead, Western massasauga
Number of venomous species with open GBIF records in each county. Blank counties often mean nobody has posted a record yet, not that nothing lives there.

Venomous snakes in Kansas

Venomous snakes in Kansas: map, photos and look-alikes

Venomous spiders in Kansas

Venomous spiders in Kansas: map, photos and look-alikes

Scorpions in Kansas

Scorpions in Kansas: map, photos and look-alikes

Centipedes in Kansas

Centipedes in Kansas: map, photos and look-alikes

When they are out

Jan: 1 records (venomous snake)Jan: 1 records (spider)JanFeb: 3 records (venomous snake)Feb: 1 records (spider)FebMar: 11 records (venomous snake)Mar: 4 records (spider)MarApr: 335 records (venomous snake)Apr: 11 records (spider)Apr: 6 records (scorpion)Apr: 4 records (large centipede)AprMay: 412 records (venomous snake)May: 17 records (spider)May: 6 records (scorpion)May: 7 records (large centipede)MayJun: 186 records (venomous snake)Jun: 15 records (spider)Jun: 4 records (scorpion)Jun: 1 records (large centipede)JunJul: 176 records (venomous snake)Jul: 22 records (spider)Jul: 1 records (scorpion)Jul: 1 records (large centipede)JulAug: 202 records (venomous snake)Aug: 17 records (spider)Aug: 2 records (scorpion)AugSep: 301 records (venomous snake)Sep: 9 records (spider)Sep: 3 records (scorpion)Sep: 1 records (large centipede)SepOct: 100 records (venomous snake)Oct: 4 records (spider)Oct: 2 records (scorpion)OctNov: 13 records (venomous snake)Nov: 2 records (spider)Nov: 1 records (scorpion)NovDec: 2 records (venomous snake)Dec: 1 records (spider)Dec
Open records by month; most fall in April to May, August to September. People record animals when they are outdoors too, so winter looks quieter than it may be.

Recorded, but not living here

A rare record means someone found or reported the animal once or a few times, but there is no known population. Many are strays, pets or hitchhikers in cargo.

Harmless look-alikes in Kansas

Quick answers for Kansas

Questions

How many venomous snakes live in Kansas?

4 species: Prairie rattlesnake, Timber rattlesnake, Copperhead and Western massasauga.

Are there brown recluse spiders in Kansas?

Yes. The brown recluse lives in Kansas. Open records come from 16 counties.

Are there scorpions in Kansas?

Yes: Striped bark scorpion.

When are venomous animals most active in Kansas?

Most open records from Kansas fall in April to May, August to September. Records follow when people are outdoors too, so treat this as a guide, not a rule.

What should I do after a bite or sting?

Call 911 for any venomous snakebite or a severe reaction. For spider bites and scorpion stings, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, free and open 24/7.

Neighboring states