Snakes and spiders in Sampson County, North Carolina
Sampson County, home of Clinton, has 25 snake and 3 spider species on record, from 1,453 licensed snake and 19 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead and the northern cottonmouth.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Sampson County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 173 licensed records, 11% 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 Sampson County?
In all, 25 snake species are on the Sampson County list. The most recorded are the eastern rat snake (319), the eastern copperhead (173) and the corn snake (132).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 319 | 17% |
| 2 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 173 | 11% |
| 3 | Corn snake Pantherophis guttatus | 132 | 18% |
| 4 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 131 | 15% |
| 5 | Southern watersnake Nerodia fasciata | 78 | 7% |
| 6 | Scarlet snake Cemophora coccinea | 56 | 17% |
| 7 | Mud snake Farancia abacura | 49 | 9% |
| 8 | Brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota | 47 | 13% |
| 9 | Pine woods snake Rhadinaea flavilata | 45 | 24% |
| 10 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 43 | 3% |
| 11 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 42 | 8% |
| 12 | Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae | 42 | 18% |
| 13 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 37 | 3% |
| 14 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 30 | 3% |
| 15 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 28 | 4% |
| 16 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 27 | 2% |
| 17 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 27 | 6% |
| 18 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 23 | 2% |
| 19 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 20 | 4% |
| 20 | Southeastern crown snake Tantilla coronata | 20 | 9% |
| 21 | Prairie kingsnake Lampropeltis calligaster | 16 | 5% |
| 22 | Rainbow snake Farancia erytrogramma | 16 | 13% |
| 23 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | 15 | 3% |
| 24 | Coachwhip Masticophis flagellum | 11 | 7% |
| 25 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 9 | 4% |
What spiders are in Sampson County?
In all, 3 spider species are on the Sampson County list. The most recorded are the American golden orb weaver (5), the black-and-yellow argiope (4) and the green lynx spider (1).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | 5 | 4% |
| 2 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 4 | 1% |
| 3 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 1 | 0% |
What stands out in Sampson County
Species for which Sampson County holds a large share of all North Carolina records: the pine woods snake, 24% (45 of 185); the smooth earth snake, 18% (42 of 235); the corn snake, 18% (132 of 740); the scarlet snake, 17% (56 of 331); the eastern rat snake, 17% (319 of 1,917); the rough greensnake, 15% (131 of 868).
Common in North Carolina, not on the Sampson 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 Sampson County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern rat snake, the corn 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 mud snake, the brown 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. 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.
Sampson County among North Carolina counties
By licensed snake records Sampson County ranks 2nd of 100 North Carolina counties with any.
Other North Carolina counties with their own page: Wake County, Columbus County, Durham 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.