Snakes and spiders in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County, home of Norristown, has 9 snake and 38 spider species on record, from 239 licensed snake and 436 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Montgomery County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 32 licensed records, 12% of all Pennsylvania records of it.
What snakes are in Montgomery County?
In all, 9 snake species are on the Montgomery County list. The most recorded are the DeKay's brown snake (64), the common garter snake (59) and the eastern copperhead (32).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Pennsylvania records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 64 | 13% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 59 | 3% |
| 3 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 32 | 12% |
| 4 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 28 | 3% |
| 5 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 19 | 4% |
| 6 | Queen snake Regina septemvittata | 10 | 2% |
| 7 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 5 | 3% |
| 8 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 5 | 1% |
| 9 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 4 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Montgomery County?
Observation records of snakes in Montgomery County run mostly March through November, peaking in April with 20% of them; across Pennsylvania the peak is May.
What spiders are in Montgomery County?
In all, 38 spider species are on the Montgomery County list. The most recorded are the orchard orbweaver (56), the bold jumper (41) and the familiar jumping spider (37).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Pennsylvania records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 56 | 13% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 41 | 11% |
| 3 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 37 | 18% |
| 4 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 23 | 12% |
| 5 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 18 | 17% |
| 6 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 16 | 12% |
| 7 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 16 | 19% |
| 8 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 14 | 34% |
| 9 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 13 | 10% |
| 10 | Dysdera crocata | 12 | 14% |
| 11 | Pseudeuophrys erratica | 12 | 19% |
| 12 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 10 | 12% |
| 13 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 10 | 5% |
| 14 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 10 | 5% |
| 15 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 8 | 7% |
| 16 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 7 | 7% |
| 17 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 6 | 8% |
| 18 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 5 | 9% |
| 19 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 5 | 9% |
| 20 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 5 | 13% |
| 21 | Allocosa funerea | 4 | 25% |
| 22 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 4 | 2% |
| 23 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 4 | 6% |
| 24 | Thin-spined jumping spider Tutelina elegans | 4 | 11% |
| 25 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 3 | 5% |
| 26 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 3 | 5% |
| 27 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 3 | 9% |
| 28 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 3 | 4% |
| 29 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 3 | 5% |
| 30 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 3 | 11% |
| 31 | Banded fishing spider Dolomedes vittatus | 2 | 6% |
| 32 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 2 | 5% |
| 33 | Karsch's purseweb spider Atypus karschi | 2 | 18% |
| 34 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 2 | 4% |
| 35 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 2 | 6% |
| 36 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 2 | 15% |
| 37 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 1 | 1% |
| 38 | Labyrinth orbweaver Metepeira labyrinthea | 1 | 7% |
When are spiders out in Montgomery County?
Observation records of spiders in Montgomery County run mostly March through October, peaking in May with 16% of them; across Pennsylvania the peak is June.
What stands out in Montgomery County
Species for which Montgomery County holds a large share of all Pennsylvania records: the basilica orbweaver, 34% (14 of 41); Pseudeuophrys erratica, 19% (12 of 62); the spotted orbweaver, 19% (16 of 85); the familiar jumping spider, 18% (37 of 203); the triangulate bud spider, 17% (18 of 107).
Common in Pennsylvania, not on the Montgomery County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Pennsylvania, these do not reach the county list: the shorthead garter snake (523 statewide), the timber rattlesnake (479 statewide), the red-bellied snake (465 statewide) and the smooth earth snake (368 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 Pennsylvania, these do not reach the county list: the zebra spider (135 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Montgomery County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania list: treat any spider like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the triangulate bud spider.
Montgomery County among Pennsylvania counties
By licensed snake records Montgomery County ranks 7th of 67 Pennsylvania counties with any.
Other Pennsylvania counties with their own page: Allegheny County, Warren County, Westmoreland County, Erie County, Centre County, Bucks County, Philadelphia County and Dauphin County.
The whole state: venomous species in Pennsylvania, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.