State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Arkansas
Arkansas is Ozark and Ouachita hills in the north and west, and flat river bottoms in the east. Three-toed Box Turtles are the most-reported herp. Prairie Lizards and Blanchard's Cricket Frogs are common. April is the busiest month. The Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake and Pygmy Rattlesnake live here.
71 species4 ecoregions4 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across Arkansas, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 2 | 16 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 5 |
| Lizards | 2 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Turtles | 2 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Frogs and Toads | 5 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Salamanders | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).
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Hi, I'm Nick. I built Herp Calendar on my own and I keep it free, with no ads. If it has helped you find a herp this season, a small tip goes straight into the hosting and the data work. Only if you can spare it. Either way, I'm glad you're here.
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Tap a region to see what's out
Ecoregions of Arkansas
Seasons shift a lot between Arkansas's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Ouachita Mountains
58 speciesOak-pine ridges with box turtles, prairie lizards and a lot of snakes.
View calendar →Mississippi Alluvial Plain
46 speciesRiver bottoms and bayous with alligators, watersnakes and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Ozark Highlands
59 speciesKarst hills, springs and glades full of snakes, toads and box turtles.
View calendar →Piney Woods and Loess Hills
61 speciesPine forest and bottomlands with anoles, treefrogs, box turtles and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Venomous here: Eastern Copperhead, Northern Cottonmouth, Pygmy Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About Arkansas
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Arkansas?
April is the busiest month in Arkansas, with 57 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active from February through November.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Arkansas?
71 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 26 snakes, 13 frogs and toads, 13 salamanders, 11 turtles, 7 lizards, and 1 alligator. The most-reported are the Three-toed Box Turtle, Prairie Lizard, and Blanchard's Cricket Frog.
Are there venomous snakes in Arkansas?
Yes. The Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead, Timber Rattlesnake, and Pygmy Rattlesnake live here. Don't handle them.
Which reptiles and amphibians in Arkansas are introduced?
The Mediterranean House Gecko is not native here.
Where does this data come from?
Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.