Snakes and spiders in Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County, home of Birmingham, has 14 snake and 50 spider species on record, from 157 licensed snake and 458 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the timber rattlesnake, the northern cottonmouth, the brown recluse and the southern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Jefferson County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 10 licensed records, 5% of all Alabama records of it. The timber rattlesnake: 1 licensed record, 0% of all Alabama records of it. The northern cottonmouth: on record, no openly licensed records to count. The brown recluse: 1 licensed record, 6% of all Alabama records of it. The southern black widow: on record, no openly licensed records to count.
What snakes are in Jefferson County?
In all, 14 snake species are on the Jefferson County list. The most recorded are the eastern wormsnake (25), the ring-necked snake (21) and the northern water snake (18).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Alabama records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 25 | 10% |
| 2 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 21 | 9% |
| 3 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 18 | 2% |
| 4 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 11 | 5% |
| 5 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 10 | 5% |
| 6 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 10 | 7% |
| 7 | Queen snake Regina septemvittata | 8 | 4% |
| 8 | Eastern black kingsnake Lampropeltis nigra | 7 | 9% |
| 9 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 6 | 4% |
| 10 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 6 | 2% |
| 11 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 4 | 3% |
| 12 | Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae | 4 | 3% |
| 13 | Timber rattlesnake venomous Crotalus horridus | 1 | 0% |
| 14 | Northern cottonmouth venomous Agkistrodon piscivorus | — | — |
When are snakes out in Jefferson County?
Observation records of snakes in Jefferson County run through most of the year, peaking in April with 16% of them; across Alabama the peak is May.
What spiders are in Jefferson County?
In all, 50 spider species are on the Jefferson County list. The most recorded are the twin-flagged jumping spider (53), the black-and-yellow argiope (30) and the magnolia green jumper (22). Jefferson County holds more than half of all Alabama records of the pantropical jumper.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Alabama records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 53 | 26% |
| 2 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 30 | 17% |
| 3 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 22 | 7% |
| 4 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 22 | 19% |
| 5 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 19 | 13% |
| 6 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 19 | 23% |
| 7 | Pantropical jumper Plexippus paykulli | 16 | 59% |
| 8 | Cyclosa turbinata | 15 | 43% |
| 9 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 15 | 36% |
| 10 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 13 | 16% |
| 11 | Cribellate spider Metaltella simoni | 10 | 31% |
| 12 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 10 | 11% |
| 13 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 8 | 12% |
| 14 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 8 | 9% |
| 15 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 8 | 18% |
| 16 | Alabama wandering spider Ctenus hibernalis | 7 | 14% |
| 17 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 7 | 17% |
| 18 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 7 | 37% |
| 19 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 7 | 30% |
| 20 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 6 | 26% |
| 21 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 6 | 16% |
| 22 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 5 | 10% |
| 23 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 5 | 13% |
| 24 | Heptagonal orbweaver Gea heptagon | 4 | 27% |
| 25 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 4 | 14% |
| 26 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 4 | 17% |
| 27 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 4 | 19% |
| 28 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 4 | 18% |
| 29 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 3 | 12% |
| 30 | Black-banded crab spider Synema parvulum | 3 | 9% |
| 31 | Labyrinth orbweaver Metepeira labyrinthea | 3 | 23% |
| 32 | Misumenops iners | 3 | 9% |
| 33 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 3 | 4% |
| 34 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 3 | 21% |
| 35 | Scytodes atlacoya | 3 | 12% |
| 36 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 3 | 8% |
| 37 | Tigrosa annexa | 3 | 6% |
| 38 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 2 | 12% |
| 39 | Southern house spider Kukulcania hibernalis | 2 | 12% |
| 40 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 2 | 5% |
| 41 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 1 | 7% |
| 42 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | 1 | 6% |
| 43 | False black widow Steatoda grossa | 1 | 17% |
| 44 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 1 | 9% |
| 45 | American golden orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes | — | — |
| 46 | Banded fishing spider Dolomedes vittatus | — | — |
| 47 | Barronopsis texana | — | — |
| 48 | Deadly ground crab spider Xysticus funestus | — | — |
| 49 | Slender ant mimicking jumping spider Synemosyna formica | — | — |
| 50 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | — | — |
When are spiders out in Jefferson County?
Observation records of spiders in Jefferson County run mostly March through October, peaking in July with 22% of them; across Alabama the peak is May.
What stands out in Jefferson County
Species for which Jefferson County holds a large share of all Alabama records: the pantropical jumper, 59% (16 of 27); Cyclosa turbinata, 43% (15 of 35); the furrow orbweaver, 36% (15 of 42); the cribellate spider, 31% (10 of 32); the twin-flagged jumping spider, 26% (53 of 200); the spotted orbweaver, 23% (19 of 81); the orchard orbweaver, 19% (22 of 113); the black-and-yellow argiope, 17% (30 of 177).
Common in Alabama, not on the Jefferson County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Alabama, these do not reach the county list: the southern watersnake (252 statewide), the plain-bellied watersnake (205 statewide) and the gray rat snake (169 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Jefferson County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the northern water snake and the eastern rat snake. Cottonmouths are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the northern water snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider and the false black widow. Recluse spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the longbodied cellar spider and the southern house spider.
Jefferson County among Alabama counties
By licensed snake records Jefferson County ranks 8th of 67 Alabama counties with any.
Other Alabama counties with their own page: Lee County, Baldwin County, Macon County, Mobile County, Tuscaloosa County and Blount County.
The whole state: venomous species in Alabama, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.