Snakes and spiders in Worcester County, Massachusetts
Worcester County, home of Worcester, has 9 snake and 51 spider species on record, from 327 licensed snake and 574 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the timber rattlesnake, the eastern copperhead and the northern black widow are on the Massachusetts list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Worcester County?
In all, 9 snake species are on the Worcester County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (174), the northern water snake (79) and the eastern milksnake (25).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Massachusetts records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 174 | 17% |
| 2 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 79 | 23% |
| 3 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 25 | 18% |
| 4 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 19 | 20% |
| 5 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 9 | 28% |
| 6 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 8 | 10% |
| 7 | Smooth green snake Opheodrys vernalis | 3 | 7% |
| 8 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 2 | 3% |
| 9 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 2 | 3% |
When are snakes out in Worcester County?
Observation records of snakes in Worcester County run mostly April through September, peaking in May with 26% of them, the same peak as Massachusetts as a whole.
What spiders are in Worcester County?
In all, 51 spider species are on the Worcester County list. The most recorded are the orchard orbweaver (35), the nursery web spider (29) and the Bennett's laceweaver (22). Worcester County holds more than half of all Massachusetts records of the Bennett's laceweaver and the elegant crab spider.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Massachusetts records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 35 | 12% |
| 2 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 29 | 11% |
| 3 | Bennett's laceweaver Callobius bennetti | 22 | 73% |
| 4 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 16 | 27% |
| 5 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 15 | 8% |
| 6 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 13 | 14% |
| 7 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 13 | 23% |
| 8 | Elegant crab spider Xysticus elegans | 12 | 92% |
| 9 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 12 | 17% |
| 10 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 11 | 13% |
| 11 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 10 | 11% |
| 12 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 10 | 17% |
| 13 | Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia | 9 | 28% |
| 14 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 9 | 14% |
| 15 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 8 | 44% |
| 16 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 7 | 15% |
| 17 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 7 | 10% |
| 18 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 7 | 22% |
| 19 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 7 | 28% |
| 20 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 7 | 11% |
| 21 | Dock spider Dolomedes scriptus | 6 | 43% |
| 22 | Drumming sword wolf spider Gladicosa gulosa | 6 | 7% |
| 23 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 6 | 2% |
| 24 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 6 | 10% |
| 25 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 5 | 5% |
| 26 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 5 | 6% |
| 27 | Shamrock orbweaver Araneus trifolium | 5 | 33% |
| 28 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 5 | 19% |
| 29 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 4 | 11% |
| 30 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 4 | 27% |
| 31 | Common white-cheeked jumping spider Pelegrina proterva | 4 | 18% |
| 32 | Forest wolf spider Hogna frondicola | 4 | 44% |
| 33 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 4 | 12% |
| 34 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 4 | 6% |
| 35 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 3 | 12% |
| 36 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 3 | 6% |
| 37 | Habronattus decorus | 3 | 23% |
| 38 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 3 | 7% |
| 39 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 2 | 14% |
| 40 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 2 | 2% |
| 41 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 2 | 6% |
| 42 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | 2 | 29% |
| 43 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 2 | 8% |
| 44 | Whitman's jumping spider Phidippus whitmani | 2 | 14% |
| 45 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 1 | 8% |
| 46 | Dysdera crocata | 1 | 2% |
| 47 | Giant lichen orbweaver Araneus bicentenarius | 1 | 3% |
| 48 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 1 | 2% |
| 49 | Boreal combfoot Steatoda borealis | — | — |
| 50 | Common candy-striped spider Enoplognatha ovata | — | — |
| 51 | Phrurotimpus palustris | — | — |
When are spiders out in Worcester County?
Observation records of spiders in Worcester County run mostly April through October, peaking in August with 20% of them, the same peak as Massachusetts as a whole.
What stands out in Worcester County
Species for which Worcester County holds a large share of all Massachusetts records: the Bennett's laceweaver, 73% (22 of 30); the sixspotted orbweaver, 27% (16 of 59); the grayish jumping spider, 23% (13 of 56); the northern water snake, 23% (79 of 347); the ring-necked snake, 20% (19 of 93); the eastern milksnake, 18% (25 of 142); the whitebanded crab spider, 17% (12 of 69); the flower crab spider, 17% (10 of 59).
Common in Massachusetts, not on the Worcester 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.
Among the spiders most recorded across Massachusetts, these do not reach the county list: the northern black widow (162 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Worcester 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. No widow spiders reach the county list, but the northern black widow is on the Massachusetts list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the triangulate bud spider and the boreal combfoot. 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.
Worcester County among Massachusetts counties
By licensed snake records Worcester County ranks 2nd of 14 Massachusetts counties with any.
Other Massachusetts counties with their own page: Middlesex 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.