Snakes and spiders in Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County, home of Upper Marlboro, has 15 snake and 66 spider species on record, from 817 licensed snake and 877 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the southern black widow and the northern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Prince George's County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 14 licensed records, 10% of all Maryland records of it. The southern black widow: 5 licensed records, 20% of all Maryland records of it. The northern black widow: 4 licensed records, 11% of all Maryland records of it.
What snakes are in Prince George's County?
In all, 15 snake species are on the Prince George's County list. The most recorded are the northern water snake (124), the DeKay's brown snake (118) and the eastern rat snake (109). Prince George's County holds more than half of all Maryland records of the mole kingsnake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Maryland records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 124 | 21% |
| 2 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 118 | 38% |
| 3 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 109 | 19% |
| 4 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 91 | 18% |
| 5 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 70 | 32% |
| 6 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 55 | 36% |
| 7 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 44 | 18% |
| 8 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 42 | 41% |
| 9 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 40 | 16% |
| 10 | Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae | 34 | 40% |
| 11 | Mole kingsnake Lampropeltis rhombomaculata | 23 | 62% |
| 12 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 16 | 23% |
| 13 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 14 | 10% |
| 14 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 14 | 27% |
| 15 | Queen snake Regina septemvittata | 9 | 16% |
When are snakes out in Prince George's County?
Observation records of snakes in Prince George's County run mostly April through October, peaking in October with 28% of them; across Maryland the peak is May.
What spiders are in Prince George's County?
In all, 66 spider species are on the Prince George's County list. The most recorded are the orchard orbweaver (56), the nursery web spider (39) and the bold jumper (37).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Maryland records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 56 | 15% |
| 2 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 39 | 18% |
| 3 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 37 | 14% |
| 4 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 33 | 15% |
| 5 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 29 | 19% |
| 6 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 29 | 31% |
| 7 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 28 | 11% |
| 8 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 26 | 15% |
| 9 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 26 | 17% |
| 10 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 23 | 14% |
| 11 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 22 | 12% |
| 12 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 20 | 25% |
| 13 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 20 | 32% |
| 14 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 19 | 42% |
| 15 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 19 | 35% |
| 16 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 19 | 35% |
| 17 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 18 | 14% |
| 18 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 16 | 25% |
| 19 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 15 | 17% |
| 20 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 14 | 26% |
| 21 | Labyrinth orbweaver Metepeira labyrinthea | 13 | 22% |
| 22 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 13 | 31% |
| 23 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | 12 | 30% |
| 24 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 11 | 11% |
| 25 | Barronopsis jeffersi | 10 | 48% |
| 26 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 10 | 14% |
| 27 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 10 | 15% |
| 28 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 10 | 21% |
| 29 | Garden ghost spider Hibana gracilis | 9 | 25% |
| 30 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 9 | 38% |
| 31 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 8 | 24% |
| 32 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 8 | 8% |
| 33 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 7 | 13% |
| 34 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 6 | 21% |
| 35 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 5 | 26% |
| 36 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 5 | 8% |
| 37 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 5 | 23% |
| 38 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 5 | 9% |
| 39 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 5 | 20% |
| 40 | Thin-spined jumping spider Tutelina elegans | 5 | 26% |
| 41 | Whitman's jumping spider Phidippus whitmani | 5 | 38% |
| 42 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 5 | 18% |
| 43 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 4 | 19% |
| 44 | Dysdera crocata | 4 | 11% |
| 45 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 4 | 7% |
| 46 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 4 | 11% |
| 47 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 4 | 8% |
| 48 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 4 | 7% |
| 49 | Allocosa funerea | 3 | 15% |
| 50 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 3 | 4% |
| 51 | Black-banded crab spider Synema parvulum | 3 | 9% |
| 52 | Canopy jumping spider Phidippus otiosus | 3 | 13% |
| 53 | Red-legged purseweb spider Sphodros rufipes | 3 | 27% |
| 54 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 3 | 13% |
| 55 | Tigrosa annexa | 3 | 14% |
| 56 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 2 | 4% |
| 57 | Heptagonal orbweaver Gea heptagon | 2 | 11% |
| 58 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 2 | 9% |
| 59 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 2 | 10% |
| 60 | Variegated ground spider Sergiolus capulatus | 2 | 13% |
When are spiders out in Prince George's County?
Observation records of spiders in Prince George's County run mostly March through October, peaking in August with 15% of them, the same peak as Maryland as a whole.
What stands out in Prince George's County
Species for which Prince George's County holds a large share of all Maryland records: the mole kingsnake, 62% (23 of 37); Barronopsis jeffersi, 48% (10 of 21); the arrowshaped micrathena, 42% (19 of 45); the eastern hog-nosed snake, 41% (42 of 102); the smooth earth snake, 40% (34 of 86); the DeKay's brown snake, 38% (118 of 309); the rough greensnake, 36% (55 of 152); the white-jawed jumping spider, 35% (19 of 54).
Common in Maryland, not on the Prince George's County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Maryland, these do not reach the county list: the eastern milksnake (110 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Prince George's County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the northern water snake, the eastern rat snake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. Cottonmouths are not on the Maryland list, but GBIF holds 1 cottonmouth record of any license in Maryland (northern cottonmouth 1): treat any snake like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the timber rattlesnake is on the Maryland list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern hog-nosed snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider and the common house spider. Recluse spiders are not on the Maryland list, but GBIF holds 8 recluse spider records of any license in Maryland (brown recluse 8): treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider.
Prince George's County among Maryland counties
By licensed snake records Prince George's County ranks 1st of 23 Maryland counties with any.
Other Maryland counties with their own page: Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Frederick County, Howard County and Harford County.
The whole state: venomous species in Maryland, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.