Snakes and spiders in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Middlesex County, home of Lowell, has 9 snake and 86 spider species on record, from 506 licensed snake and 1,041 spider records. Venomous species here: the northern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Middlesex County?
Yes. The northern black widow: 35 licensed records, 22% of all Massachusetts records of it.
What snakes are in Middlesex County?
In all, 9 snake species are on the Middlesex County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (309), the northern water snake (93) and the eastern milksnake (39).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Massachusetts records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 309 | 30% |
| 2 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 93 | 27% |
| 3 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 39 | 27% |
| 4 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 23 | 27% |
| 5 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 11 | 12% |
| 6 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 8 | 11% |
| 7 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 7 | 11% |
| 8 | Smooth green snake Opheodrys vernalis | 6 | 15% |
| 9 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 3 | 9% |
When are snakes out in Middlesex County?
Observation records of snakes in Middlesex County run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 24% of them, the same peak as Massachusetts as a whole.
What spiders are in Middlesex County?
In all, 86 spider species are on the Middlesex County list. The most recorded are the bold jumper (76), the nursery web spider (70) and the orchard orbweaver (63). Middlesex County holds more than half of all Massachusetts records of the Asian wall jumper, the spitting spider, the thin-spined jumping spider and the bowl and doily spider.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Massachusetts records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 76 | 40% |
| 2 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 70 | 27% |
| 3 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 63 | 21% |
| 4 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 48 | 19% |
| 5 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 40 | 43% |
| 6 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 36 | 30% |
| 7 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 35 | 22% |
| 8 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 29 | 35% |
| 9 | Dysdera crocata | 28 | 47% |
| 10 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 27 | 38% |
| 11 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 26 | 30% |
| 12 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 23 | 33% |
| 13 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 18 | 72% |
| 14 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 18 | 29% |
| 15 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 14 | 21% |
| 16 | Drumming sword wolf spider Gladicosa gulosa | 14 | 16% |
| 17 | Boreal combfoot Steatoda borealis | 13 | 38% |
| 18 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 13 | 14% |
| 19 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 12 | 13% |
| 20 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 11 | 34% |
| 21 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 11 | 17% |
| 22 | Spitting spider Scytodes thoracica | 11 | 61% |
| 23 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 10 | 14% |
| 24 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 10 | 17% |
| 25 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 10 | 17% |
| 26 | Featherlegged orbweaver Uloborus glomosus | 9 | 39% |
| 27 | Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia | 9 | 28% |
| 28 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 9 | 15% |
| 29 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 8 | 16% |
| 30 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 8 | 14% |
| 31 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 8 | 19% |
| 32 | Thin-spined jumping spider Tutelina elegans | 8 | 67% |
| 33 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 8 | 32% |
| 34 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 7 | 50% |
| 35 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 7 | 47% |
| 36 | Garden ghost spider Hibana gracilis | 7 | 28% |
| 37 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 7 | 14% |
| 38 | Allocosa funerea | 6 | 46% |
| 39 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 6 | 24% |
| 40 | Habronattus decorus | 6 | 46% |
| 41 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 5 | 16% |
| 42 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | 5 | 14% |
| 43 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 5 | 38% |
| 44 | Cone-shaped orbweaver Cyclosa conica | 5 | 28% |
| 45 | Giant lichen orbweaver Araneus bicentenarius | 5 | 17% |
| 46 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 5 | 16% |
| 47 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 5 | 20% |
| 48 | Pseudeuophrys erratica | 5 | 33% |
| 49 | Slender ant mimicking jumping spider Synemosyna formica | 5 | 45% |
| 50 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 5 | 19% |
| 51 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 4 | 11% |
| 52 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 4 | 29% |
| 53 | Twospotted cobweb spider Asagena americana | 4 | 57% |
| 54 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 3 | 6% |
| 55 | Common white-cheeked jumping spider Pelegrina proterva | 3 | 14% |
| 56 | Dock spider Dolomedes scriptus | 3 | 21% |
| 57 | Hammerjawed jumper Zygoballus rufipes | 3 | 20% |
| 58 | Nearctic white-striped running crab spider Philodromus rufus | 3 | 27% |
| 59 | Northern yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium mildei | 3 | 30% |
| 60 | Pholcus manueli | 3 | 21% |
When are spiders out in Middlesex County?
Observation records of spiders in Middlesex County run mostly April through October, peaking in June with 21% of them; across Massachusetts the peak is August.
What stands out in Middlesex County
Species for which Middlesex County holds a large share of all Massachusetts records: the Asian wall jumper, 72% (18 of 25); Dysdera crocata, 47% (28 of 60); the dimorphic jumper, 43% (40 of 94); the bold jumper, 40% (76 of 192); the boreal combfoot, 38% (13 of 34); the triangulate bud spider, 38% (27 of 72); the flea jumping spider, 35% (29 of 82); the longbodied cellar spider, 34% (11 of 32).
Common in Massachusetts, not on the Middlesex County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Massachusetts, these do not reach the county list: the timber rattlesnake (14 statewide), the eastern copperhead (12 statewide) and the eastern hog-nosed snake (12 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Middlesex 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 northern water snake and the eastern milksnake. 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. 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 triangulate bud spider, the boreal combfoot, the common house spider and the twospotted cobweb 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.
Middlesex County among Massachusetts counties
By licensed snake records Middlesex County ranks 1st of 14 Massachusetts counties with any.
Other Massachusetts counties with their own page: Worcester County, Norfolk County, Essex County, Barnstable 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.