Snakes and spiders in Dare County, North Carolina
Dare County, home of Manteo, has 18 snake and 38 spider species on record, from 687 licensed snake and 213 spider records. Venomous species here: the northern cottonmouth, the eastern copperhead, the northern black widow and the southern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Dare County?
Yes. The northern cottonmouth: 73 licensed records, 14% of all North Carolina records of it. The eastern copperhead: 9 licensed records, 1% of all North Carolina records of it. The northern black widow: 5 licensed records, 12% of all North Carolina records of it. The southern black widow: 4 licensed records, 9% of all North Carolina records of it.
What snakes are in Dare County?
In all, 18 snake species are on the Dare County list. The most recorded are the eastern racer (87), the northern water snake (86) and the northern cottonmouth (73).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 87 | 7% |
| 2 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 86 | 7% |
| 3 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 73 | 14% |
| 4 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 65 | 13% |
| 5 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 49 | 7% |
| 6 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 49 | 4% |
| 7 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 36 | 4% |
| 8 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 33 | 14% |
| 9 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 28 | 6% |
| 10 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 27 | 1% |
| 11 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 23 | 2% |
| 12 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 18 | 3% |
| 13 | Mud snake Farancia abacura | 15 | 3% |
| 14 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 13 | 1% |
| 15 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 9 | 1% |
| 16 | Brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota | 8 | 2% |
| 17 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 5 | 1% |
| 18 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 4 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Dare County?
Observation records of snakes in Dare County run mostly April through October, peaking in June with 19% of them; across North Carolina the peak is May.
What spiders are in Dare County?
In all, 38 spider species are on the Dare County list. The most recorded are the black-and-yellow argiope (30), Leucauge argyrobapta (17) and the familiar jumping spider (16). Dare County holds more than half of all North Carolina records of the shoreline wolf spider.
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 30 | 7% |
| 2 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 17 | 27% |
| 3 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 16 | 7% |
| 4 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 10 | 12% |
| 5 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 9 | 7% |
| 6 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 8 | 4% |
| 7 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 7 | 8% |
| 8 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 6 | 5% |
| 9 | Canopy jumping spider Phidippus otiosus | 5 | 6% |
| 10 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 5 | 14% |
| 11 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 5 | 12% |
| 12 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 5 | 5% |
| 13 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 4 | 6% |
| 14 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 4 | 2% |
| 15 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 4 | 9% |
| 16 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 3 | 4% |
| 17 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 3 | 4% |
| 18 | Dysdera crocata | 3 | 25% |
| 19 | Metazygia wittfeldae | 3 | 43% |
| 20 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 3 | 3% |
| 21 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | 3 | 100% |
| 22 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 3 | 2% |
| 23 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 3 | 2% |
| 24 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 3 | 4% |
| 25 | Black-banded crab spider Synema parvulum | 2 | 6% |
| 26 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 2 | 17% |
| 27 | Hogna antelucana | 2 | 12% |
| 28 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 2 | 2% |
| 29 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 2 | 2% |
| 30 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 2 | 2% |
| 31 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 2 | 2% |
| 32 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 1 | 5% |
| 33 | False black widow Steatoda grossa | 1 | 2% |
| 34 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 1 | 0% |
| 35 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 1 | 2% |
| 36 | Southern house spider Kukulcania hibernalis | 1 | 2% |
| 37 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 1 | 1% |
| 38 | Yellow ghost spider Hibana velox | 1 | 25% |
When are spiders out in Dare County?
Observation records of spiders in Dare County run mostly April through October, peaking in June with 28% of them; across North Carolina the peak is September.
What stands out in Dare County
Species for which Dare County holds a large share of all North Carolina records: Leucauge argyrobapta, 27% (17 of 63).
Common in North Carolina, not on the Dare County list
Among the snakes most recorded across North Carolina, these do not reach the county list: the ring-necked snake (1,305 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 North Carolina, these do not reach the county list: the Pocock's lampshade-web spider (302 statewide), the orchard orbweaver (300 statewide), the marbled orbweaver (198 statewide) and the arrowhead orbweaver (161 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Dare County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the northern water snake, the corn snake, the plain-bellied watersnake and the eastern rat snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the northern water snake, the southern watersnake, the plain-bellied watersnake and the mud 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. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the false black widow. Recluse spiders are not on the North Carolina list, but GBIF holds 25 recluse spider records of any license in North Carolina (brown recluse 25): treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the southern house spider.
Dare County among North Carolina counties
By licensed snake records Dare County ranks 7th 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, Brunswick County and Bladen 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.