Snakes and spiders in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Barnstable County, home of Barnstable, has 9 snake and 51 spider species on record, from 150 licensed snake and 835 spider records. Venomous species here: the northern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Barnstable County?
Yes. The northern black widow: 2 licensed records, 1% of all Massachusetts records of it.
What snakes are in Barnstable County?
In all, 9 snake species are on the Barnstable County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (49), the eastern ribbonsnake (22) and the eastern racer (15). Barnstable County holds more than half of all Massachusetts records of the eastern hog-nosed snake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Massachusetts records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 49 | 5% |
| 2 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 22 | 31% |
| 3 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 15 | 24% |
| 4 | Smooth green snake Opheodrys vernalis | 15 | 37% |
| 5 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 12 | 8% |
| 6 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 11 | 92% |
| 7 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 10 | 3% |
| 8 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 9 | 10% |
| 9 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 1 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Barnstable County?
Observation records of snakes in Barnstable County run mostly April through November, peaking in July with 17% of them; across Massachusetts the peak is May.
What spiders are in Barnstable County?
In all, 51 spider species are on the Barnstable County list. The most recorded are the common house spider (41), the orchard orbweaver (41) and the familiar jumping spider (40). Barnstable County holds more than half of all Massachusetts records of the common house spider, the shoreline wolf spider, the green long-jawed orbweaver and Neriene variabilis.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Massachusetts records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 41 | 59% |
| 2 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 41 | 14% |
| 3 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 40 | 16% |
| 4 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 31 | 12% |
| 5 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | 23 | 55% |
| 6 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 22 | 37% |
| 7 | Green long-jawed orbweaver Tetragnatha viridis | 19 | 100% |
| 8 | Neriene variabilis | 19 | 100% |
| 9 | Drumming sword wolf spider Gladicosa gulosa | 18 | 21% |
| 10 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 17 | 18% |
| 11 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 16 | 18% |
| 12 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 15 | 43% |
| 13 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 13 | 7% |
| 14 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 13 | 19% |
| 15 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 13 | 11% |
| 16 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 12 | 17% |
| 17 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 11 | 23% |
| 18 | Giant lichen orbweaver Araneus bicentenarius | 11 | 38% |
| 19 | Hammock spider Pityohyphantes costatus | 11 | 79% |
| 20 | Household fine sheetweaver Lepthyphantes leprosus | 11 | 100% |
| 21 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 11 | 18% |
| 22 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 10 | 40% |
| 23 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 10 | 31% |
| 24 | White sac spider Elaver excepta | 10 | 38% |
| 25 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 9 | 26% |
| 26 | Featherlegged orbweaver Uloborus glomosus | 9 | 39% |
| 27 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 9 | 14% |
| 28 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 8 | 19% |
| 29 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 8 | 16% |
| 30 | Common white-cheeked jumping spider Pelegrina proterva | 7 | 32% |
| 31 | Humpbacked orbweaver Eustala anastera | 7 | 50% |
| 32 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 6 | 24% |
| 33 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 6 | 6% |
| 34 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 6 | 9% |
| 35 | Variegated ground spider Sergiolus capulatus | 6 | 35% |
| 36 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 5 | 6% |
| 37 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 5 | 9% |
| 38 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 5 | 8% |
| 39 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 5 | 6% |
| 40 | Dysdera crocata | 4 | 7% |
| 41 | Garden ghost spider Hibana gracilis | 4 | 16% |
| 42 | Gladicosa pulchra | 4 | 57% |
| 43 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 3 | 9% |
| 44 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 3 | 12% |
| 45 | Boreal combfoot Steatoda borealis | 2 | 6% |
| 46 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 2 | 1% |
| 47 | Unbanded wolf spider Hogna baltimoriana | 2 | 50% |
| 48 | Spitting spider Scytodes thoracica | 1 | 6% |
| 49 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 1 | 1% |
| 50 | Trochosa sepulchralis | 1 | 100% |
| 51 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Barnstable County?
Observation records of spiders in Barnstable County run mostly May through October, peaking in September with 25% of them; across Massachusetts the peak is August.
What stands out in Barnstable County
Species for which Barnstable County holds a large share of all Massachusetts records: the common house spider, 59% (41 of 69); the shoreline wolf spider, 55% (23 of 42); the marbled orbweaver, 43% (15 of 35); the arrowshaped micrathena, 40% (10 of 25); the white sac spider, 38% (10 of 26); the giant lichen orbweaver, 38% (11 of 29); the flower crab spider, 37% (22 of 59); the smooth green snake, 37% (15 of 41).
Common in Massachusetts, not on the Barnstable County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Massachusetts, these do not reach the county list: the red-bellied snake (32 statewide), the timber rattlesnake (14 statewide) and the eastern copperhead (12 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Barnstable County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Massachusetts list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern milksnake, the eastern hog-nosed snake and the northern water snake. Cottonmouths are not on the Massachusetts list, but GBIF holds 2 cottonmouth records of any license in Massachusetts (northern cottonmouth 2): 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 Massachusetts list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern hog-nosed snake. Coral snakes are not on the Massachusetts list, but GBIF holds 1 coral snake record of any license in Massachusetts (eastern coral snake 1): treat any snake like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern milksnake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the common house spider, the boreal combfoot and the triangulate bud spider. Recluse spiders are not on the Massachusetts list, but GBIF holds 1 recluse spider record of any license in Massachusetts (brown recluse 1): treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider and the spitting spider.
Barnstable County among Massachusetts counties
By licensed snake records Barnstable County ranks 5th of 14 Massachusetts counties with any.
Other Massachusetts counties with their own page: Middlesex County, Worcester County, Norfolk County, Essex County, Plymouth County, Dukes County and Suffolk County.
The whole state: venomous species in Massachusetts, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.