Snakes and spiders in Summit County, Ohio
Summit County, home of Akron, has 10 snake and 56 spider species on record, from 1,087 licensed snake and 502 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 Summit County?
In all, 10 snake species are on the Summit County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (476), the DeKay's brown snake (319) and the northern water snake (87). Summit County holds more than half of all Ohio records of the smooth green snake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Ohio records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 476 | 29% |
| 2 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 319 | 33% |
| 3 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 87 | 7% |
| 4 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 50 | 23% |
| 5 | Smooth green snake Opheodrys vernalis | 48 | 59% |
| 6 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 47 | 38% |
| 7 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 20 | 8% |
| 8 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 19 | 10% |
| 9 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 17 | 27% |
| 10 | Queen snake Regina septemvittata | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Summit County?
Observation records of snakes in Summit County run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 23% of them, the same peak as Ohio as a whole.
What spiders are in Summit County?
In all, 56 spider species are on the Summit County list. The most recorded are the orchard orbweaver (33), the dark fishing spider (25) and the bold jumper (22).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Ohio records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 33 | 7% |
| 2 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 25 | 11% |
| 3 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 22 | 6% |
| 4 | Myrmarachne formicaria | 21 | 40% |
| 5 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 20 | 18% |
| 6 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 19 | 10% |
| 7 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 17 | 6% |
| 8 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 15 | 8% |
| 9 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 15 | 9% |
| 10 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 13 | 10% |
| 11 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 11 | 18% |
| 12 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 11 | 16% |
| 13 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 10 | 7% |
| 14 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 10 | 5% |
| 15 | Boreal combfoot Steatoda borealis | 9 | 21% |
| 16 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 8 | 8% |
| 17 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 8 | 17% |
| 18 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 8 | 14% |
| 19 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 8 | 17% |
| 20 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 8 | 12% |
| 21 | Cone-shaped orbweaver Cyclosa conica | 7 | 12% |
| 22 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 7 | 3% |
| 23 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 6 | 10% |
| 24 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 5 | 16% |
| 25 | Dock spider Dolomedes scriptus | 5 | 13% |
| 26 | Eastern cave long-jawed spider Meta ovalis | 5 | 24% |
| 27 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 5 | 12% |
| 28 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 5 | 8% |
| 29 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 5 | 7% |
| 30 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 5 | 5% |
| 31 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 4 | 4% |
| 32 | Banded fishing spider Dolomedes vittatus | 4 | 14% |
| 33 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 4 | 4% |
| 34 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 4 | 2% |
| 35 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 4 | 7% |
| 36 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 3 | 6% |
| 37 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 3 | 14% |
| 38 | Butterfly orbweaver Araneus pegnia | 3 | 12% |
| 39 | Cyclosa turbinata | 3 | 13% |
| 40 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 3 | 14% |
| 41 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 3 | 6% |
| 42 | Tuberculated crab spider Tmarus angulatus | 3 | 12% |
| 43 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 3 | 8% |
| 44 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 2 | 5% |
| 45 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 2 | 8% |
| 46 | Dysdera crocata | 2 | 4% |
| 47 | Garden ghost spider Hibana gracilis | 2 | 8% |
| 48 | Nearctic white-striped running crab spider Philodromus rufus | 2 | 6% |
| 49 | Shore spider Pardosa milvina | 2 | 5% |
| 50 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 1 | 1% |
| 51 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 1 | 1% |
| 52 | Barn funnel weaver Tegenaria domestica | 1 | 6% |
| 53 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 1 | 1% |
| 54 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 1 | 1% |
| 55 | Shamrock orbweaver Araneus trifolium | 1 | 10% |
| 56 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 1 | 2% |
When are spiders out in Summit County?
Observation records of spiders in Summit County run mostly April through October, peaking in August with 22% of them; across Ohio the peak is June.
What stands out in Summit County
Species for which Summit County holds a large share of all Ohio records: the smooth green snake, 59% (48 of 81); Myrmarachne formicaria, 40% (21 of 53); the red-bellied snake, 38% (47 of 124); the DeKay's brown snake, 33% (319 of 959); the common garter snake, 29% (476 of 1,624); the eastern ribbonsnake, 27% (17 of 63); the eastern milksnake, 23% (50 of 214); the garden spider, 18% (11 of 60).
Common in Ohio, not on the Summit County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Ohio, these do not reach the county list: the eastern racer (154 statewide), the eastern fox snake (127 statewide) and the eastern copperhead (94 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Summit 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, the eastern milksnake and the eastern rat snake. 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 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 boreal combfoot, the triangulate bud spider and the common house spider. No recluse spiders reach the county list, but the brown recluse is on the Ohio list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider.
Summit County among Ohio counties
By licensed snake records Summit County ranks 1st of 88 Ohio counties with any.
Other Ohio counties with their own page: Ottawa County, Erie 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.