Snakes and spiders in Erie County, Ohio
Erie County, home of Sandusky, has 8 snake and 21 spider species on record, from 320 licensed snake and 293 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the eastern copperhead, the eastern massasauga, the timber rattlesnake, the northern black widow and 2 more are on the Ohio list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Erie County?
In all, 8 snake species are on the Erie County list. The most recorded are the northern water snake (81), the common garter snake (78) and the DeKay's brown snake (62).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Ohio records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 81 | 6% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 78 | 5% |
| 3 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 62 | 6% |
| 4 | Eastern fox snake Pantherophis vulpinus | 36 | 28% |
| 5 | Queen snake Regina septemvittata | 22 | 7% |
| 6 | Butler's garter snake Thamnophis butleri | 15 | 26% |
| 7 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 6 | 4% |
| 8 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 3 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Erie County?
Observation records of snakes in Erie County run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 27% of them, the same peak as Ohio as a whole.
What spiders are in Erie County?
In all, 21 spider species are on the Erie County list. The most recorded are the familiar jumping spider (32), the bold jumper (24) and the dark fishing spider (16). Erie County holds more than half of all Ohio records of the bridge orbweaver.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Ohio records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 32 | 12% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 24 | 7% |
| 3 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 16 | 7% |
| 4 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 15 | 9% |
| 5 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 14 | 15% |
| 6 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 12 | 13% |
| 7 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 10 | 7% |
| 8 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 10 | 17% |
| 9 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 9 | 2% |
| 10 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 9 | 5% |
| 11 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 8 | 4% |
| 12 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 8 | 4% |
| 13 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 6 | 3% |
| 14 | Dysdera crocata | 5 | 9% |
| 15 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 5 | 4% |
| 16 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 4 | 4% |
| 17 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | 4 | 57% |
| 18 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 4 | 2% |
| 19 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 3 | 6% |
| 20 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 1 | 2% |
| 21 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 1 | 1% |
When are spiders out in Erie County?
Observation records of spiders in Erie County run mostly April through October, peaking in September with 23% of them; across Ohio the peak is June.
What stands out in Erie County
Species for which Erie County holds a large share of all Ohio records: the eastern fox snake, 28% (36 of 127); the Butler's garter snake, 26% (15 of 57); the garden spider, 17% (10 of 60).
Common in Ohio, not on the Erie County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Ohio, these do not reach the county list: the eastern rat snake (256 statewide), the ring-necked snake (194 statewide), the red-bellied snake (124 statewide), the eastern copperhead (94 statewide) and the smooth green snake (81 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Erie County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Ohio list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake and the eastern milksnake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, and GBIF holds no cottonmouth record for Ohio under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the northern water snake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the eastern massasauga and the timber rattlesnake are on the Ohio list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern fox snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Ohio under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the eastern milksnake. No widow spiders reach the county list, but the northern black widow and the southern black widow are on the Ohio list: treat any spider like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the triangulate bud spider.
Erie County among Ohio counties
By licensed snake records Erie County ranks 3rd of 88 Ohio counties with any.
Other Ohio counties with their own page: Summit County, Ottawa County, Cuyahoga County, Franklin County, Montgomery County, Hamilton County and Richland County.
The whole state: venomous species in Ohio, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.