Snakes and spiders in Lee County, Illinois
Lee County, home of Dixon, has 3 snake and 8 spider species on record, from 5 licensed snake and 1,267 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the northern cottonmouth, the eastern copperhead, the eastern massasauga, the timber rattlesnake and 3 more are on the Illinois list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Lee County?
In all, 3 snake species are on the Lee County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (2), the DeKay's brown snake (1) and the northern water snake (1).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Illinois records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 2 | 0% |
| 2 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 1 | 0% |
| 3 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 1 | 0% |
What spiders are in Lee County?
In all, 8 spider species are on the Lee County list. The most recorded are Pardosa saxatilis (147), the shiny wolf spider (43) and Piratula minuta (40). Lee County holds more than half of all Illinois records of the peatland sheetweb weaver and Xysticus discursans.
Related species: Xysticus ferox
| # | Species | Records | Share of Illinois records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pardosa saxatilis | 147 | 27% |
| 2 | Shiny wolf spider Pardosa moesta | 43 | 25% |
| 3 | Piratula minuta | 40 | 19% |
| 4 | Neoantistea agilis | 33 | 32% |
| 5 | Peatland sheetweb weaver Hypselistes florens | 29 | 71% |
| 6 | Xysticus discursans | 14 | 74% |
| 7 | Long-palped ant-mimic sac spider Castianeira longipalpa | 11 | 19% |
| 8 | Spotted cobweaver Thymoites unimaculatus | 10 | 42% |
What stands out in Lee County
Species for which Lee County holds a large share of all Illinois records: the peatland sheetweb weaver, 71% (29 of 41); the spotted cobweaver, 42% (10 of 24); Neoantistea agilis, 32% (33 of 104); Pardosa saxatilis, 27% (147 of 545); the shiny wolf spider, 25% (43 of 170); Piratula minuta, 19% (40 of 208); the long-palped ant-mimic sac spider, 19% (11 of 59).
Common in Illinois, not on the Lee County list
Among the spiders most recorded across Illinois, these do not reach the county list: the bold jumper (344 statewide), the brown recluse (313 statewide), the pale sheetweb weaver (196 statewide), the brush-legged split wolf spider (192 statewide), the tan crab spider (187 statewide) and the zebra spider (173 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Lee County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Illinois list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth is on the Illinois list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake.
Lee County among Illinois counties
By licensed snake records Lee County ranks 52nd of 90 Illinois counties with any.
Other Illinois counties with their own page: Union County, Cook County, Will County, Champaign County, Jo Daviess County, Mason County, Iroquois County and Effingham County.
The whole state: venomous species in Illinois, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.