If you own a pool in the Texas Hill Country, you already know the water isn't the only thing you need to manage. From Boerne to Bandera, Kerrville to New Braunfels, the landscape out here shares your backyard with creatures that most pool owners in other states never think about.
We service pools across Hill Country every week. These are the nine creatures we've actually encountered in and around pools — ranked from the ones that barely register to the ones that will change your whole afternoon. For each one, we'll tell you what it is, why it's near your pool, and what you can do about it.
#8: Tree Frogs and Toads
Threat level: Honestly kind of cute.
Why they're near your pool:
Standing water and insects. Your pool creates the perfect microhabitat for frogs, especially during warmer months from April through October. The Rio Grande chirping frog is the most common visitor — small, loud, and completely harmless. We've scooped out entire family reunions from single skimmer baskets.
What to know:
Frogs in your pool usually means your chlorine is on the low side. They won't hang around in heavily chlorinated water. If they're thriving, it may be time to check your water chemistry levels.
What to do:
They're harmless. Fish them out of the skimmer, relocate them to a garden bed, and make sure your water chemistry is balanced. A properly maintained pool naturally deters them.
#7: Striped Bark Scorpion
Threat level: You'll remember this one.
Why they're near your pool:
Scorpions follow the insects, and pool equipment areas are full of small gaps and dark hiding spots. The striped bark scorpion (Centruroides vittatus) is the most common scorpion in Texas, and Hill Country sees plenty of them. They're nocturnal — tucked under rocks, landscaping, and pool equipment lids during the day, then out hunting after dark.
What to know:
The sting is painful and causes swelling, but it's not life-threatening for most healthy adults. Children, elderly individuals, and anyone with allergies should seek medical attention after a sting. They get into pool areas through tiny gaps in your deck and equipment pad.
What to do:
Seal cracks and gaps around your pool equipment pad. Keep landscaping trimmed back from the pool deck. Wear gloves when opening equipment housings — especially after dark. Removing debris and clutter around the pool area reduces their hiding spots significantly.
#6: Texas Redheaded Centipede
Threat level: Nightmare fuel.
Why they're near your pool:
Moisture. The giant redheaded centipede (Scolopendra heros) can grow over eight inches long, and they're fast. Pool equipment areas, drainage channels, and the damp soil around your pool deck create the exact environment they're drawn to. We've pulled them out from under pump housings more times than we'd like to count.
What to know:
The bite isn't typically dangerous, but it's extremely painful and causes notable swelling. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, they don't transmit disease, but their claws can inject a painful venom. They can grow over nine inches. Leave them alone.
What to do:
If you're finding centipedes around your pool, you likely have a moisture issue near your equipment pad. Improve drainage, clear organic debris from around the pool area, and keep storage items off the ground. A dry, clean equipment area is your best prevention.
#5: Texas Brown Tarantula
Threat level: Terrifying to look at. Mostly harmless.
Why they're near your pool:
Tarantula migration season runs roughly August through October in Hill Country. Male Texas brown tarantulas (Aphonopelma hentzi) wander widely during this period looking for mates, and pools, decks, and equipment areas are simply in their path. They're big, they're hairy, and they will make you rethink opening your skimmer basket without looking first.
What to know:
Their bite is comparable to a bee sting. The bigger risk is the panic of finding one floating in your pool on a Saturday morning. If you see one walking across your yard, it's almost certainly a male on a mission. He's not interested in you.
What to do:
During fall months, check your skimmer basket before reaching in. If you find one alive, gently relocate it to a natural area away from the pool. They're beneficial — they eat insects and are an important part of the Hill Country ecosystem.
#4: Brown Recluse Spider
Threat level: Genuinely dangerous. Respect this one.
Why they're near your pool:
Brown recluse spiders (Loxosceles reclusa) are drawn to dark, cluttered, undisturbed spaces. Pool equipment enclosures, chemical storage sheds, and pump housings provide ideal habitat. They're small, shy, and avoid contact — which is the problem. You don't see them until you've already reached into their hiding spot.
What to know:
You can identify them by the violin-shaped marking on their back and their six eyes (most spiders have eight). Their bite can cause tissue damage, fever, chills, and in some cases a serious ulcerating wound that requires medical treatment. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, effects from a bite can be immediate or delayed.
What to do:
Wear gloves when servicing pool equipment. Shake out towels, covers, and any items stored near the pool. Keep storage areas clean and well-lit — brown recluse spiders avoid light. If you suspect a bite, wash with soap and water, apply ice, and contact the Texas Poison Control Network at 1-800-222-1222 or your doctor.
#3: Black Widow Spider
Threat level: Serious. Know what you're looking at.
Why they're near your pool:
Black widows are nocturnal and prefer dark, sheltered areas that are rarely disturbed. Pool equipment areas, especially pump housings and electrical boxes, offer exactly that — warm, protected, and full of insects. We find them under pool pump covers, inside meter boxes, under deck lips, and in equipment enclosures.
What to know:
The female — jet black with a red hourglass on her belly — is one of the most venomous spiders in North America. Their venom is neurotoxic. Bites can cause severe pain, muscle cramps, nausea, and in rare cases serious medical complications, especially for children and elderly individuals. Fatalities are extremely rare with modern medical care, but bites always warrant medical attention.
What to do:
Always check equipment areas before reaching in. Wear gloves — this is non-negotiable when working around pool equipment in Hill Country. Clear webbing regularly from pump housings and electrical boxes. Keep the area around your equipment clean and free of clutter that creates hiding spots.
#2: Copperhead
Threat level: The one you're most likely to encounter.
Why they're near your pool:
Copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix) are attracted to rocky areas, wooded bottomlands, and the edges of pools. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, they are found across the eastern and central parts of the state, including Hill Country. Your pool deck retains heat after sunset, drawing them to the warm surface. They also love landscaping rocks, mulch beds, and retaining walls.
What to know:
Copperheads account for more venomous snake bites in Texas than any other species. Their camouflage is extraordinary — they blend into leaf litter and limestone so well that people step on them without seeing them. The bite is rarely fatal but extremely painful, causes tissue damage, and always requires medical attention. Most active from April through October, particularly at dawn and dusk.
What to do:
Keep landscaping around your pool trimmed. Remove rock piles, brush, and woodpiles near the pool area. Don't walk barefoot around your pool deck after dark during warm months. If you see a copperhead near your pool, do not attempt to handle it. Back away slowly and call local animal control.
#1: Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Threat level: The one that changes your whole afternoon.
Why they're near your pool:
The western diamondback (Crotalus atrox) is the most common and widespread venomous snake in Texas, and Hill Country is prime habitat. Rattlesnakes follow their food — rodents are drawn to pool areas because of water, warmth, and insects. Where the mice go, the rattlesnakes follow. Equipment areas with gaps and openings provide shelter.
What to know:
Their venom is hemotoxic — it destroys body tissue and can cause internal bleeding. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, one to two people in Texas die each year from venomous snake bites, though roughly half of all venomous bites are "dry" (no venom injected). If you hear a rattle near your pool, stop moving, locate it, and back away slowly.
What to do:
Keep your pool equipment area sealed and free of rodent attractants. Trim vegetation around the pool perimeter. Don't stack wood, tools, or materials near pool equipment. If you encounter a rattlesnake, do not attempt to kill or relocate it — call animal control. The best long-term prevention is eliminating what draws them there: rodents, gaps, and ground-level clutter.
Why This Matters for Pool Owners in Hill Country
These encounters aren't hypotheticals. They happen in backyards across Boerne, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Spring Branch, Bulverde, and every Hill Country town in between. The limestone terrain, the live oaks, the seasonal weather patterns — they all create an environment where these creatures are part of the landscape.
This is one of the reasons your pool technician matters more than most people realize. Your pool tech isn't just balancing chemicals and skimming leaves. They're opening equipment housings, reaching into dark spaces, working in backyards where these creatures live — often when you're not home.
At Pool Era, every technician is background-checked, drug-tested, and trained to handle what Hill Country throws at them. We know the terrain. We know the wildlife. And we know that who you let in your yard matters — especially when your yard looks like this.
Keep Your Pool (and Your Family!) Safe
The best defense against unwanted pool visitors isn't a chemical or a gadget. It's consistent, professional maintenance from someone who knows Hill Country. A well-maintained pool area with sealed equipment, trimmed landscaping, proper drainage, and balanced chemistry is far less attractive to every creature on this list.
If you're looking for pool service in the Texas Hill Country that takes all of this seriously — not just the water chemistry, but the whole picture — we'd be glad to talk.
Get Your Pool on the Schedule: text us at 210-992-2085