Banded fishing spider (Dolomedes vittatus)
The banded fishing spider is a spider in the family Pisauridae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 463 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 27 states, most of all Virginia (78), Texas (48) and North Carolina (41). Its observation records peak in August.
Is the banded fishing spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the banded fishing spider (family Pisauridae) has venom for its prey, but it is not a widow or recluse, the two U.S. groups whose bites need medical attention.
Which states have the banded fishing spider?
Records are spread over 27 states; the top three, Virginia, Texas and North Carolina, hold 36% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 78 | 0.7% | 37th of 176 |
| 2 | Texas | 48 | 0.2% | 102nd of 386 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 41 | 0.5% | 47th of 184 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 36 | 0.5% | 37th of 164 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 34 | 0.9% | 28th of 138 |
| 6 | Ohio | 28 | 0.4% | 53rd of 332 |
| 7 | Maryland | 27 | 0.5% | 49th of 153 |
| 8 | Indiana | 25 | 0.6% | 37th of 133 |
| 9 | Georgia | 24 | 0.4% | 59th of 186 |
| 10 | Kentucky | 19 | 1.0% | 28th of 103 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 13 | 0.5% | 40th of 121 |
| 12 | New York | 11 | 0.2% | 76th of 149 |
| 13 | Arkansas | 10 | 0.6% | 41st of 114 |
| 14 | Alabama | 9 | 0.3% | 76th of 143 |
| 15 | Illinois | 9 | 0.0% | 201st of 243 |
| 16 | Florida | 7 | 0.1% | 171st of 237 |
| 17 | Missouri | 6 | 0.3% | 58th of 117 |
| 18 | New Jersey | 6 | 0.3% | 69th of 127 |
| 19 | Mississippi | 5 | 0.4% | 52nd of 117 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 5 | 2.9% | 8th of 53 |
| 21 | Connecticut | 4 | 0.4% | 42nd of 86 |
| 22 | Louisiana | 4 | 0.1% | 89th of 107 |
| 23 | Michigan | 3 | 0.1% | 74th of 122 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 3 | 0.1% | 120th of 149 |
| 25 | West Virginia | 3 | 0.4% | 40th of 90 |
| 26 | Delaware | 2 | 0.1% | 66th of 71 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | 1 | 0.0% | 138th of 189 |
When is the banded fishing spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the banded fishing spider run mostly March through October, peaking in August with 20% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 4% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (Tennessee and Texas) and latest in April (Virginia). The most common peak month is August, shared by Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | April through October | August | 77 |
| Texas | February through September | July | 48 |
| North Carolina | March through September | July | 41 |
| Pennsylvania | March through September | August | 35 |
| Tennessee | February through September | August | 33 |
Where the banded fishing spider is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 78 licensed records, the 37th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Montgomery County and Prince Edward County. Next come Rappahannock County (4) and Prince William County (2).
Texas
Texas holds 48 licensed records, the 102nd most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly February through September, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Williamson County, Travis County and Montgomery County. Next come Hays County (2) and Kendall County (2).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 41 licensed records, the joint 47th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly March through September, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Orange County, Wake County and Swain County. Next come Burke County (3) and Cherokee County (3).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 36 licensed records, the joint 37th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly March through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Allegheny County, Westmoreland County and Beaver County. Next come Blair County (3) and Huntingdon County (2).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 34 licensed records, the joint 28th most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly February through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Sevier County, Davidson County and Montgomery County. Next come Cheatham County (2) and Blount County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 42 | 9.1% |
| 2 | Williamson County | Texas | 13 | 2.8% |
| 3 | Sevier County | Tennessee | 10 | 2.2% |
| 4 | Travis County | Texas | 9 | 1.9% |
| 5 | Orange County | North Carolina | 8 | 1.7% |
| 6 | Wake County | North Carolina | 8 | 1.7% |
| 7 | Davidson County | Tennessee | 7 | 1.5% |
| 8 | Allegheny County | Pennsylvania | 6 | 1.3% |
| 9 | Swain County | North Carolina | 5 | 1.1% |
| 10 | Westmoreland County | Pennsylvania | 5 | 1.1% |
| 11 | Montgomery County | Virginia | 5 | 1.1% |
| 12 | Prince Edward County | Virginia | 4 | 0.9% |
| 13 | Rappahannock County | Virginia | 4 | 0.9% |
| 14 | Burke County | North Carolina | 3 | 0.6% |
| 15 | Cherokee County | North Carolina | 3 | 0.6% |
How recent are the banded fishing spider records?
Most of what is known about the banded fishing spider is recent: 92% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1928; the busiest year was 2025, with 70 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1930s | 6 | 1.2% |
| 1940s | 5 | 1.0% |
| 1950s | 4 | 0.8% |
| 1960s | 4 | 0.8% |
| 1990s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 2000s | 4 | 0.8% |
| 2010s | 70 | 14.4% |
| 2020s | 391 | 80.5% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 74 counties where the banded fishing spider is most recorded, 36 are also top counties for the nursery web spider, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Nursery web spider | 36 |
| Dark fishing spider | 35 |
| Spined micrathena | 35 |
| Bronze jumper | 33 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 33 |
| Bold jumper | 32 |
| Flea jumping spider | 32 |
| Furrow orbweaver | 32 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Dolomedes with profiles here: Dark fishing spider, Sixspotted fishing spider, White-banded fishing spider and Dock spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.