Snakes and spiders in Chittenden County, Vermont
Chittenden County, home of Burlington, has 6 snake and 37 spider species on record, from 182 licensed snake and 503 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the timber rattlesnake and the northern black widow are on the Vermont list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Chittenden County?
In all, 6 snake species are on the Chittenden County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (140), the eastern milksnake (18) and the DeKay's brown snake (12). Chittenden County holds more than half of all Vermont records of the DeKay's brown snake.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Vermont records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 140 | 30% |
| 2 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 18 | 24% |
| 3 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 12 | 71% |
| 4 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 5 | 9% |
| 5 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 4 | 19% |
| 6 | Smooth green snake Opheodrys vernalis | 2 | 25% |
When are snakes out in Chittenden County?
Observation records of snakes in Chittenden County run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 17% of them; across Vermont the peak is June.
What spiders are in Chittenden County?
In all, 37 spider species are on the Chittenden County list. The most recorded are the goldenrod crab spider (120), the bold jumper (56) and the black-and-yellow argiope (31). Chittenden County holds more than half of all Vermont records of the goldenrod crab spider, the tuftlegged orbweaver, the lined orbweaver and the shoreline wolf spider.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Vermont records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia | 120 | 52% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 56 | 49% |
| 3 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 31 | 28% |
| 4 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 23 | 42% |
| 5 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 22 | 37% |
| 6 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 19 | 28% |
| 7 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 18 | 78% |
| 8 | Barn spider Araneus cavaticus | 15 | 29% |
| 9 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 15 | 23% |
| 10 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 11 | 23% |
| 11 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 10 | 30% |
| 12 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 9 | 22% |
| 13 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 9 | 33% |
| 14 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 8 | 40% |
| 15 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | 8 | 62% |
| 16 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 7 | 29% |
| 17 | Common candy-striped spider Enoplognatha ovata | 6 | 32% |
| 18 | Drumming sword wolf spider Gladicosa gulosa | 6 | 33% |
| 19 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 5 | 33% |
| 20 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 5 | 38% |
| 21 | Shamrock orbweaver Araneus trifolium | 5 | 19% |
| 22 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 5 | 38% |
| 23 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 4 | 33% |
| 24 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 4 | 10% |
| 25 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 4 | 27% |
| 26 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 3 | 23% |
| 27 | Common white-cheeked jumping spider Pelegrina proterva | 3 | 43% |
| 28 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 2 | 40% |
| 29 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | 1 | 9% |
| 30 | Dock spider Dolomedes scriptus | 1 | 4% |
| 31 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 1 | 4% |
| 32 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 1 | 8% |
| 33 | Nordmann's orbweaver spider Araneus nordmanni | 1 | 6% |
| 34 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | 1 | 50% |
| 35 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 1 | 100% |
| 36 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | — | — |
| 37 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Chittenden County?
Observation records of spiders in Chittenden County run mostly April through September, peaking in June with 26% of them, the same peak as Vermont as a whole.
What stands out in Chittenden County
Species for which Chittenden County holds a large share of all Vermont records: the tuftlegged orbweaver, 78% (18 of 23); the goldenrod crab spider, 52% (120 of 230); the bold jumper, 49% (56 of 114); the bronze jumper, 42% (23 of 55); the dark fishing spider, 37% (22 of 59); the banded garden spider, 30% (10 of 33); the common garter snake, 30% (140 of 462); the barn spider, 29% (15 of 51).
Common in Vermont, not on the Chittenden County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Vermont, these do not reach the county list: the ring-necked snake (22 statewide), the eastern rat snake (18 statewide) and the timber rattlesnake (3 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Chittenden County
No copperheads reach the county list, and GBIF holds no copperhead record for Vermont under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the eastern milksnake and the northern water snake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, and GBIF holds no cottonmouth record for Vermont 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 Vermont under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the eastern milksnake. No recluse spiders reach the county list, and GBIF holds no recluse spider record for Vermont under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the longbodied cellar spider.
Chittenden County among Vermont counties
By licensed snake records Chittenden County ranks 2nd of 14 Vermont counties with any.
The whole state: venomous species in Vermont, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.