Snakes and spiders in Durham County, North Carolina
Durham County, home of Durham, has 18 snake and 57 spider species on record, from 832 licensed snake and 474 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the northern black widow and the southern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Durham County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 53 licensed records, 3% of all North Carolina records of it. The northern black widow: 3 licensed records, 8% of all North Carolina records of it. The southern black widow: 3 licensed records, 7% of all North Carolina records of it.
What snakes are in Durham County?
In all, 18 snake species are on the Durham County list. The most recorded are the rough earthsnake (294), the DeKay's brown snake (109) and the eastern wormsnake (67).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 294 | 41% |
| 2 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 109 | 12% |
| 3 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 67 | 7% |
| 4 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 53 | 3% |
| 5 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 51 | 3% |
| 6 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 44 | 3% |
| 7 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 43 | 5% |
| 8 | Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster | 32 | 11% |
| 9 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 26 | 2% |
| 10 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 21 | 2% |
| 11 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 20 | 2% |
| 12 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 15 | 3% |
| 13 | Queen snake Regina septemvittata | 14 | 4% |
| 14 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 11 | 2% |
| 15 | Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae | 11 | 5% |
| 16 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 9 | 2% |
| 17 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 6 | 1% |
| 18 | Mole kingsnake Lampropeltis rhombomaculata | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Durham County?
Observation records of snakes in Durham County run mostly March through November, peaking in April with 22% of them; across North Carolina the peak is May.
What spiders are in Durham County?
In all, 57 spider species are on the Durham County list. The most recorded are the black-and-yellow argiope (38), the familiar jumping spider (25) and the sixspotted fishing spider (25).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 38 | 8% |
| 2 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 25 | 10% |
| 3 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 25 | 22% |
| 4 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 21 | 7% |
| 5 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 20 | 9% |
| 6 | Canopy jumping spider Phidippus otiosus | 19 | 22% |
| 7 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 18 | 11% |
| 8 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 17 | 9% |
| 9 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 16 | 9% |
| 10 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 15 | 11% |
| 11 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 11 | 6% |
| 12 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 10 | 16% |
| 13 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 10 | 5% |
| 14 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 9 | 9% |
| 15 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 9 | 15% |
| 16 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 9 | 8% |
| 17 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 9 | 7% |
| 18 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | 9 | 18% |
| 19 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 7 | 9% |
| 20 | Tigrosa annexa | 7 | 8% |
| 21 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 7 | 6% |
| 22 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 6 | 7% |
| 23 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 6 | 8% |
| 24 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 6 | 5% |
| 25 | Blacktailed red sheetweaver Florinda coccinea | 5 | 29% |
| 26 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 5 | 4% |
| 27 | False black widow Steatoda grossa | 5 | 11% |
| 28 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 5 | 9% |
| 29 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 5 | 4% |
| 30 | Whitman's jumping spider Phidippus whitmani | 5 | 11% |
| 31 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 4 | 11% |
| 32 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 4 | 6% |
| 33 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 4 | 4% |
| 34 | Southern house spider Kukulcania hibernalis | 4 | 7% |
| 35 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 4 | 10% |
| 36 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 3 | 8% |
| 37 | Labyrinth orbweaver Metepeira labyrinthea | 3 | 7% |
| 38 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 3 | 8% |
| 39 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 3 | 3% |
| 40 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 3 | 7% |
| 41 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 3 | 8% |
| 42 | Audouin's trapdoor spider Ummidia audouini | 2 | 14% |
| 43 | Barronopsis texana | 2 | 9% |
| 44 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 2 | 6% |
| 45 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 2 | 9% |
| 46 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 2 | 5% |
| 47 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 2 | 4% |
| 48 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 1 | 4% |
| 49 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 1 | 1% |
| 50 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 1 | 5% |
| 51 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 1 | 1% |
| 52 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | — | — |
| 53 | Banded fishing spider Dolomedes vittatus | — | — |
| 54 | Cyclosa turbinata | — | — |
| 55 | Dock spider Dolomedes scriptus | — | — |
| 56 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | — | — |
| 57 | Heptagonal orbweaver Gea heptagon | — | — |
When are spiders out in Durham County?
Observation records of spiders in Durham County run mostly April through November, peaking in September with 21% of them, the same peak as North Carolina as a whole.
What stands out in Durham County
Species for which Durham County holds a large share of all North Carolina records: the rough earthsnake, 41% (294 of 712); the sixspotted fishing spider, 22% (25 of 115); the canopy jumping spider, 22% (19 of 88); the longbodied cellar spider, 16% (10 of 61).
Common in North Carolina, not on the Durham County list
Among the snakes most recorded across North Carolina, these do not reach the county list: the southern watersnake (1,158 statewide) and the corn snake (740 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) and the American golden orb weaver (130 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Durham County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern rat snake, the northern water snake, the eastern hog-nosed snake and the plain-bellied watersnake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth is on the North Carolina list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake and the plain-bellied watersnake. 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, the triangulate bud spider and the common house spider. 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 longbodied cellar spider and the southern house spider.
Durham County among North Carolina counties
By licensed snake records Durham County ranks 4th of 100 North Carolina counties with any.
Other North Carolina counties with their own page: Wake County, Sampson County, Columbus County, Moore County, Orange County, Dare 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.