Arizona Venomous Animals

There is a difference between “venomous” and “poisonous”. Venom is injected via a bite or sting while poisons are ingested or absorbed. Therefore snakes, Gila Monsters, scorpions, spiders, bees, wasps, and similar are venomous. Some mushrooms, household chemicals, some insects and plants can be poisonous if consumed or absorbed.

Most species of venomous animals use their venom primarily for subduing and killing prey and also use that weapon as a defense when threatened. A bite or sting from most venomous animals result in nothing more than a physical inconvenience than a serious medical emergency. But some species do have powerful venom that could be life threatening. An individual’s personal chemistry has a great bearing on how they will react to venom. The amount of venom, its toxicity level and the location of the bite or sting plays a role in the severity and seriousness of the bite. Babies, young children and the unhealthy are the most vulnerable.

Venomous Spiders in Arizona

First, let's emphasize that all spiders are venomous regardless of the state in which they inhabit. Generally, they all bite and inject venom to kill their prey. However, only a few spiders are dangerous to humans. Most spider's are not strong enough to penetrate human skin, their venom is not potent enough, or they do not inject enough venom to be a serious threat to people.

In Arizona, only the Black Widow and Brown Spider can be dangerous to people. Those spiders are more afraid of you than you are of them and will avoid humans. They will only bite when threatened. Their venom can cause very bad pain. There have only been very rare cases where anyone has died from the bite of the Black Widow or Brown Spider. However, if you are bitten by one of those, seek emergency medical care. Although they appear frightening, the Arizona tarantulas only have mildly venomous barbed hairs (utrticating) on their abdomens. The Arizona tarantula can "cast" those hairs with their legs into faces of other threatening animals. No need to worry about the venomous Brown Recluse in Arizona since it does not inhabit Arizona.

Arizona Scorpions

All scorpions are venomous to varying degrees. There about 40 species of scorpions in Arizona, but only one is considered to be a threat to human health and that is the "Bark Scorpion" which also happens to be the smallest of scorpions. Unlike spiders that inject venom through biting, a scorpion stings with a barb at the end of its tail to inject venom. Very few deaths have ever been recorded by a scorpion sting, but if stung, seek medical care. Scorpions are generally nocturnal when they hunt for prey which generally includes insects. Read more about Scorpions.

Venomous Arizona Snakes

Rattlesnakes. There are 13 species of rattlesnakes in Arizona. Their venom toxicity varies among the species. Rattlesnakes have folding, hollow fangs which inject venom deep into its victim. Diamondback Rattlesnakes are responsible for most of the snake bites in Arizona probably because it is the most encountered. The Mohave Rattlesnake is the most venomous of the rattlesnakes. Rattlesnake bites are not uncommon, but very few deaths have been recorded. However, the rattlesnake bite is typically very painful and the victim should seek immediate medical attention. Severe swelling can occur quickly, so remove any jewelry before the onset of welling begins.

Coral snake bites. Although venomous, the Coral Snake poses little threat. It belongs to the same family as the cobra but when it bites, it injects little venom. The Coral Snake is small, usually not exceeding 15 to 18 inches in length. Its fangs are short and have difficulty penetrating human skin and its venom yield is low. No death has ever been recorded from a Coral Snake. It is often confused with the King Snake which has similar colorings, but the King Snake is not venomous.

The Gila Monster

The Gila Monster is the only venomous lizard in the USA. It is also the largest lizard in the country. Gila monsters only release venom in a defensive posture and do not use venom to subdue its prey. Bites are very rare because they are not aggressive and most often avoid humans before they are even seen. It is almost impossible to be accidentally bitten by a Gila Monster which can deliver a powerful bite with its venom being released through grooved teeth. It will generally hang-on tight when administering a bite and with a "chewing" motion will grind its venom into a wound. There has only ever been one confirmed death from a Gila Monster bite in the last 100 years, but if you become a victim, seek immediate medical treatment.

Other Venomous Animals in Arizona

The Centipede bite can be painful, but rarely requires medical attention. It has the appearance of a long caterpillar with many legs, hence its name. Its venom is delivered by a pair of modified legs beneath its head. There are many species in Arizona from very short to about 8 inches long. The bite can cause pain and swelling similar to that of a bee or wasp. If you are seriously allergic to a bee sting, you could have a similar allergy to a centipede bite.

Some species of caterpillars have hairs with venom glands at the base that acts as a defensive mechanism. The venom from these hairs can produce a burning or stinging sensation similar to that of a bee sting. Since it is difficult to tell which caterpillars could be venomous, it's best not to handle any of them. Arizona also has its share of wasps and fire ants which can deliver their share of pain.

More Information

List of Arizona Poison Centers