Snakes and spiders in Pender County, North Carolina
Pender County, home of Burgaw, has 21 snake and 17 spider species on record, from 365 licensed snake and 21 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the northern cottonmouth and the timber rattlesnake.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Pender County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 52 licensed records, 3% of all North Carolina records of it. The northern cottonmouth: 9 licensed records, 2% of all North Carolina records of it. The timber rattlesnake: 1 licensed record, 2% of all North Carolina records of it.
What snakes are in Pender County?
In all, 21 snake species are on the Pender County list. The most recorded are the eastern copperhead (52), the eastern rat snake (27) and the rough greensnake (26).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 52 | 3% |
| 2 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 27 | 1% |
| 3 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 26 | 3% |
| 4 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 19 | 2% |
| 5 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 19 | 4% |
| 6 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 17 | 1% |
| 7 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 17 | 2% |
| 8 | Mud snake Farancia abacura | 16 | 3% |
| 9 | Pine woods snake Rhadinaea flavilata | 15 | 8% |
| 10 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 14 | 3% |
| 11 | Rough earthsnake Haldea striatula | 14 | 2% |
| 12 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 13 | 1% |
| 13 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 10 | 2% |
| 14 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 10 | 3% |
| 15 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 9 | 2% |
| 16 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 9 | 2% |
| 17 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 9 | 1% |
| 18 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 8 | 1% |
| 19 | Brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota | 7 | 2% |
| 20 | Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae | 7 | 3% |
| 21 | Timber rattlesnake venomous Crotalus horridus | 1 | 2% |
What spiders are in Pender County?
In all, 17 spider species are on the Pender County list. The most recorded are the American golden orb weaver (4), the black-and-yellow argiope (3) and the red-femured spotted orbweaver (2).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 4 | 3% |
| 2 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 3 | 1% |
| 3 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 2 | 2% |
| 4 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 1 | 0% |
| 5 | Leucauge argyrobapta | 1 | 2% |
| 6 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 1 | 1% |
| 7 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 1 | 1% |
| 8 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 1 | 1% |
| 9 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | — | — |
| 10 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | — | — |
| 11 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | — | — |
| 12 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | — | — |
| 13 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | — | — |
| 14 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | — | — |
| 15 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | — | — |
| 16 | Tigrosa annexa | — | — |
| 17 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | — | — |
Common in North Carolina, not on the Pender 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 DeKay's brown snake (922 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), the nursery web spider (188 statewide), the arrowhead orbweaver (161 statewide) and the spined micrathena (133 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Pender County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern rat snake, the plain-bellied watersnake, the corn snake and the eastern hog-nosed snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the plain-bellied watersnake, the mud snake, the southern watersnake and the brown water snake. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: 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. No widow spiders reach the county list, but the southern black widow, the northern black widow and the brown widow are on the North Carolina list: treat any spider like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the common house spider.
Pender County among North Carolina counties
By licensed snake records Pender County ranks 15th 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.