Snakes and spiders in Bladen County, North Carolina
Bladen County, home of Elizabethtown, has 23 snake and 4 spider species on record, from 645 licensed snake and 19 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead and the northern cottonmouth.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Bladen County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 65 licensed records, 4% of all North Carolina records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 15 licensed records, 3% of all North Carolina records of it.
What snakes are in Bladen County?
In all, 23 snake species are on the Bladen County list. The most recorded are the corn snake (85), the eastern rat snake (69) and the eastern copperhead (65).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 85 | 11% |
| 2 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 69 | 4% |
| 3 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 65 | 4% |
| 4 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 57 | 5% |
| 5 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 30 | 2% |
| 6 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 28 | 6% |
| 7 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 26 | 3% |
| 8 | Mud snake Farancia abacura | 25 | 5% |
| 9 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 25 | 8% |
| 10 | Southeastern crown snake Tantilla coronata | 25 | 11% |
| 11 | Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae | 18 | 8% |
| 12 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 17 | 2% |
| 13 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 16 | 10% |
| 14 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 16 | 2% |
| 15 | Pine woods snake Rhadinaea flavilata | 16 | 9% |
| 16 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 15 | 3% |
| 17 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 15 | 3% |
| 18 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 13 | 1% |
| 19 | Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster | 13 | 4% |
| 20 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 12 | 2% |
| 21 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 10 | 2% |
| 22 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 8 | 1% |
| 23 | Brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota | 5 | 1% |
What spiders are in Bladen County?
In all, 4 spider species are on the Bladen County list. The most recorded are the American golden orb weaver (2), the black-and-yellow argiope (2) and the sixspotted fishing spider (1).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 2 | 2% |
| 2 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 2 | 0% |
| 3 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 1 | 1% |
| 4 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | — | — |
Common in North Carolina, not on the Bladen County list
Among the snakes most recorded across North Carolina, these do not reach the county list: the northern water snake (1,281 statewide) and the rough earthsnake (712 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Bladen County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the corn snake, the eastern rat snake, the plain-bellied watersnake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the southern watersnake, the plain-bellied watersnake, the mud snake and the brown water snake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the timber rattlesnake and the pygmy rattlesnake are on the North Carolina list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern hog-nosed snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, but the eastern coral snake is on the North Carolina list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the scarlet snake.
Bladen County among North Carolina counties
By licensed snake records Bladen County ranks 9th of 100 North Carolina counties with any.
Other North Carolina counties with their own page: Wake County, Sampson County, Columbus County, Durham County, Moore County, Orange County, Dare County and Brunswick County.
The whole state: venomous species in North Carolina, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.