Venomous snakes and spiders in Rhode Island
No venomous snake species reaches our listing threshold in Rhode Island: none of the 10 snake species listed there is venomous to people, from 200 licensed records. GBIF holds no venomous snake record for Rhode Island under any license, but the historic range of the timber rattlesnake includes Rhode Island, and sensitive species can be withheld from open records. Treat any snake that looks like a rattlesnake as venomous. On the spider side, one species is medically significant: northern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes in Rhode Island?
Not on our list: GBIF holds no venomous snake record for Rhode Island under any license, but the historic range of the timber rattlesnake includes Rhode Island, and sensitive species can be withheld from open records. Treat any snake that looks like a rattlesnake as venomous.
Dangerous spiders of Rhode Island
One widow species (Northern black widow: 5 records) is on the Rhode Island list. There is no recluse spider on the Rhode Island list: no recluse species reaches 10 records in the state. Widow bites cause muscle pain and cramps; recluse bites can cause a slow-healing wound. Both are rare and seldom fatal.
Other snakes recorded most in Rhode Island
These eight account for 97% of all licensed snake records in Rhode Island; the most recorded, the common garter snake, alone for 37%.
All 10 snakes of Rhode Island →
Other spiders recorded most in Rhode Island
These eight account for 39% of all licensed spider records in Rhode Island; the most recorded, the familiar jumping spider, alone for 7%.
All 53 spiders of Rhode Island →
When are snakes out in Rhode Island?
Observation records of snakes in Rhode Island run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 23% of them. December through February together hold under 2% of the records, so snakes in Rhode Island are rarely recorded in winter.
When spiders are most active in Rhode Island
Observation records of spiders in Rhode Island run mostly April through October, peaking in June with 24% of them. December through February together hold under 2% of the records, so spiders in Rhode Island are rarely recorded in winter.
Where in Rhode Island are snakes recorded most?
Providence County dominates: 51% of the state's licensed snake records come from it alone, and the top five counties hold 100%. 5 of Rhode Island's 5 counties have at least one licensed snake record.
| # | County | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence County | 102 | 51.0% |
| 2 | Washington County | 39 | 19.5% |
| 3 | Newport County | 35 | 17.5% |
| 4 | Kent County | 17 | 8.5% |
| 5 | Bristol County | 7 | 3.5% |
Harmless lookalikes in Rhode Island
Many snakes and spiders taken for venomous ones are harmless species with a similar look. These are the usual confusions, with each species' licensed records in Rhode Island.
What looks like a copperhead in Rhode Island
No copperheads reach the Rhode Island list, and GBIF holds no copperhead record for Rhode Island under any license, so a snake taken for one here is most likely a harmless lookalike. Those recorded in the state: northern water snake (65), eastern hog-nosed snake (4), eastern milksnake (4) and eastern rat snake (1).
What looks like a cottonmouth in Rhode Island
No cottonmouths reach the Rhode Island list, and GBIF holds no cottonmouth record for Rhode Island under any license, so a snake taken for one here is most likely a harmless lookalike. Those recorded in the state: northern water snake (65).
What looks like a rattlesnake in Rhode Island
No rattlesnakes reach the Rhode Island list, and GBIF holds no rattlesnake record for Rhode Island under any license, so a snake taken for one here is most likely a harmless lookalike. Those recorded in the state: eastern hog-nosed snake (4).
What looks like a coral snake in Rhode Island
No coral snakes reach the Rhode Island list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Rhode Island under any license, so a snake taken for one here is most likely a harmless lookalike. Those recorded in the state: eastern milksnake (4).
What looks like a widow spider in Rhode Island
Widow spiders: 5 licensed records in Rhode Island. Harmless species often taken for them are also on the state list: boreal combfoot (on record), common house spider (on record) and triangulate bud spider (on record). The lookalikes are on the list from records under other licenses, with no openly licensed records to count, so the two sides are not compared.
What looks like a recluse spider in Rhode Island
No recluse spiders reach the Rhode Island list, and GBIF holds no recluse spider record for Rhode Island under any license, so a spider taken for one here is most likely a harmless lookalike. Those recorded in the state: spitting spider (3) and longbodied cellar spider (on record).
How Rhode Island compares
Rhode Island is one of five states with no venomous snake on the list; the others are Alaska, Hawaii, Maine and New Hampshire. GBIF still holds a few venomous snake records for three of them, too few to list: Hawaii (pelagic sea snake: 5 records), Maine (timber rattlesnake: 3 records) and New Hampshire (timber rattlesnake: 2 records). At the other end, Arizona leads with 14 species.
Every state bordering Rhode Island lists more venomous snake species (Rhode Island: 0 species; Connecticut 2, Massachusetts 2).
Venomous snakes listed next door but not in Rhode Island: the eastern copperhead (Connecticut and Massachusetts); the timber rattlesnake (Connecticut and Massachusetts).
Are there poisonous spiders in Rhode Island?
Does Rhode Island have black widows?
Yes. One widow species is on the Rhode Island list: the northern black widow (5 records).
Does Rhode Island have brown recluse spiders?
No. GBIF holds no brown recluse record for Rhode Island under any license.
Northern black widow (Latrodectus variolus)
Rhode Island has 5 licensed records of the northern black widow, which ranks the state 19th of the 30 states where it reaches our threshold. Range in other states and photos: Northern black widow profile.
Are there scorpions in Rhode Island?
No. GBIF holds no scorpion record for Rhode Island under any license. Every scorpion has venom; only the Arizona bark scorpion's sting is medically significant, and it is not on the Rhode Island list.
More for Rhode Island
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.