Spiders in Arkansas
Arkansas has 114 spider species on record, each with at least 10 GBIF records in the state, and 1,636 licensed records in all. The most recorded are the black-and-yellow argiope, the bold jumper and the familiar jumping spider. Medically significant: the brown recluse, the southern black widow and the northern black widow.
Widow spiders in Arkansas
Widow spiders are a small part of the spider record here: two species with 2% of records between them. The most recorded is the southern black widow (22), ahead of the northern black widow (7).
Recluse spiders in Arkansas
One species of this group is listed for Arkansas: the brown recluse, with 39 records (2% of the state's spider records).
Observation records of the brown recluse in Arkansas run mostly March through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Clay County and Washington County.
Jumping spiders in Arkansas
Jumping spiders: 26 species are listed for Arkansas, with 400 records (24% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the bold jumper (61), ahead of the familiar jumping spider (48).
Plus 14: Common Hentz jumping spider, Dimorphic jumper, Cardinal jumper, Habronattus coecatus, Hammerjawed jumper, White-jawed jumping spider, Peppered jumper, Common white-cheeked jumping spider, High eye-lashed jumping spider, Sassacus papenhoei, Twin-flagged jumping spider, Magnolia green jumper, Orbus paradise spider, Metacyrba floridana.
Observation records of the bold jumper in Arkansas run mostly March through October, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Clay County, Craighead County and Crittenden County. Observation records of the familiar jumping spider in Arkansas run mostly March through October, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Benton County and Clay County. Observation records of the bronze jumper in Arkansas run mostly April through December, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Clay County and Mississippi County.
Wolf spiders in Arkansas
Wolf spiders: 16 species are listed for Arkansas, with 157 records (10% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the wetland giant wolf spider (34), ahead of the rabid wolf spider (30).
Plus four: Shoreline wolf spider, Carolina wolf spider, Woodland giant wolf spider, Unbanded wolf spider.
Most licensed records of the wetland giant wolf spider in Arkansas come from Clay County, Perry County and Craighead County. Most licensed records of the rabid wolf spider in Arkansas come from Craighead County, Benton County and Greene County.
Orb weavers in Arkansas
Orb weavers: 23 species are listed for Arkansas, with 318 records (19% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the black-and-yellow argiope (71), ahead of the arabesque orbweaver (46).
Plus eleven: Giant lichen orbweaver, Arrowshaped micrathena, Basilica orbweaver, Labyrinth orbweaver, Banded garden spider, Difoliate orbweaver, Cyclosa turbinata, Humpbacked orbweaver, Red-femured spotted orbweaver, Tuftlegged orbweaver, Lined orbweaver.
Observation records of the black-and-yellow argiope in Arkansas run mostly June through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Benton County and Clay County. Observation records of the arabesque orbweaver in Arkansas run mostly May through October, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Perry County and Poinsett County. Observation records of the marbled orbweaver in Arkansas run mostly July through October, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Benton County and Polk County.
Long-jawed orb weavers in Arkansas
Long-jawed orb weavers are a small part of the spider record here: three species with 3% of records between them. The most recorded is the orchard orbweaver (35), ahead of the dwarf ground long-jawed spider (7).
Most licensed records of the orchard orbweaver in Arkansas come from Craighead County, Clay County and Johnson County.
Fishing and nursery web spiders in Arkansas
Fishing and nursery web spiders: eight species are listed for Arkansas, with 126 records (8% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the nursery web spider (36), ahead of the dark fishing spider (35).
Observation records of the nursery web spider in Arkansas run mostly April through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Clay County and Greene County. Observation records of the dark fishing spider in Arkansas run mostly September through May, peaking in December; most licensed records come from Craighead County, Benton County and Mississippi County.
Tarantulas in Arkansas
One species of this group is listed for Arkansas: the Texas brown tarantula, with 13 records (0.8% of the state's spider records).
Crab spiders in Arkansas
Crab spiders: eight species are listed for Arkansas, with 60 records (4% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the whitebanded crab spider (24), ahead of the black-banded crab spider (13).
Cobweb spiders in Arkansas
Cobweb spiders are a small part of the spider record here: two species with 1% of records between them. The most recorded is the triangulate bud spider (11), ahead of the common house spider (9).
Funnel weavers and grass spiders in Arkansas
One species of this group is listed for Arkansas: Coras lamellosus, with 0 records (0% of the state's spider records).
Lynx spiders in Arkansas
Lynx spiders: two species are listed for Arkansas, with 64 records (4% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the green lynx spider (45), ahead of the striped lynx spider (19).
Observation records of the green lynx spider in Arkansas run mostly June through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Johnson County, Faulkner County and Craighead County.
Sheetweb and dwarf spiders in Arkansas
Sheetweb and dwarf spiders are a small part of the spider record here: three species with 1% of records between them. The most recorded is the filmy dome spider (10), ahead of the bowl and doily spider (9).
Ground and sac spiders in Arkansas
Ground and sac spiders are a small part of the spider record here: six species with 1% of records between them. The most recorded is the parson spider (10), ahead of the two-lined stealthy ground spider (5).
Other spiders in Arkansas
Other spiders: twelve species are listed for Arkansas, with 71 records (4% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is Scytodes atlacoya (17), ahead of the longbodied cellar spider (13).
Where in Arkansas are spiders recorded most?
Craighead County dominates: 26% of the state's licensed spider records come from it alone, and the top five counties hold 57%. 61 of Arkansas's 75 counties have at least one licensed spider record.
| # | County | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craighead County | 426 | 26.0% |
| 2 | Clay County | 151 | 9.2% |
| 3 | Benton County | 142 | 8.7% |
| 4 | Perry County | 109 | 6.7% |
| 5 | Washington County | 97 | 5.9% |
| 6 | Poinsett County | 81 | 5.0% |
| 7 | Greene County | 61 | 3.7% |
| 8 | Johnson County | 55 | 3.4% |
| 9 | Faulkner County | 49 | 3.0% |
| 10 | Mississippi County | 39 | 2.4% |
| 11 | Pulaski County | 32 | 2.0% |
| 12 | Pike County | 31 | 1.9% |
When do spiders come out in Arkansas?
Observation records of spiders in Arkansas run mostly April through November, peaking in May with 15% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 6% of the records. The sharpest rise comes from April to May.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1% | 3% | 8% | 15% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 14% | 14% | 5% | 4% |
Spiders: Arkansas compared with its neighbors
Arkansas ranks 31st of 50 states by the number of spider species listed; Texas leads with 386 species.
Of the six states bordering Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi and Missouri list more spider species (Arkansas: 114 species; Texas 386, Oklahoma 149, Tennessee 138, Mississippi 117, Missouri 117, Louisiana 107).
What spiders are in Arkansas? All 114 species
Ranked by licensed records in Arkansas. The table shows the 60 most recorded of 114 listed spiders.
| # | Species | Family | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | Araneidae | 71 | 4.3% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | Salticidae | 61 | 3.7% |
| 3 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | Salticidae | 48 | 2.9% |
| 4 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | Salticidae | 47 | 2.9% |
| 5 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | Araneidae | 46 | 2.8% |
| 6 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | Oxyopidae | 45 | 2.8% |
| 7 | Brown recluse venomous Loxosceles reclusa | Sicariidae | 39 | 2.4% |
| 8 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | Pisauridae | 36 | 2.2% |
| 9 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | Pisauridae | 35 | 2.1% |
| 10 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | Tetragnathidae | 35 | 2.1% |
| 11 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | Lycosidae | 34 | 2.1% |
| 12 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | Araneidae | 32 | 2.0% |
| 13 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | Araneidae | 32 | 2.0% |
| 14 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | Lycosidae | 30 | 1.8% |
| 15 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | Araneidae | 30 | 1.8% |
| 16 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | Salticidae | 28 | 1.7% |
| 17 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | Salticidae | 27 | 1.7% |
| 18 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | Salticidae | 26 | 1.6% |
| 19 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | Araneidae | 26 | 1.6% |
| 20 | Paraphidippus aurantius | Salticidae | 25 | 1.5% |
| 21 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | Thomisidae | 24 | 1.5% |
| 22 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | Lycosidae | 22 | 1.3% |
| 23 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | Theridiidae | 22 | 1.3% |
| 24 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | Pisauridae | 20 | 1.2% |
| 25 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | Oxyopidae | 19 | 1.2% |
| 26 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | Araneidae | 17 | 1.0% |
| 27 | Gladicosa pulchra | Lycosidae | 17 | 1.0% |
| 28 | Scytodes atlacoya | Scytodidae | 17 | 1.0% |
| 29 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | Salticidae | 16 | 1.0% |
| 30 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | Pisauridae | 16 | 1.0% |
| 31 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | Salticidae | 14 | 0.9% |
| 32 | Black-banded crab spider Synema parvulum | Thomisidae | 13 | 0.8% |
| 33 | Canopy jumping spider Phidippus otiosus | Salticidae | 13 | 0.8% |
| 34 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | Pholcidae | 13 | 0.8% |
| 35 | Texas brown tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi | Theraphosidae | 13 | 0.8% |
| 36 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | Salticidae | 12 | 0.7% |
| 37 | Comstock's wafer trapdoor spider Myrmekiaphila comstocki | Euctenizidae | 11 | 0.7% |
| 38 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | Theridiidae | 11 | 0.7% |
| 39 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | Araneidae | 11 | 0.7% |
| 40 | Whitman's jumping spider Phidippus whitmani | Salticidae | 11 | 0.7% |
| 41 | Banded fishing spider Dolomedes vittatus | Pisauridae | 10 | 0.6% |
| 42 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | Salticidae | 10 | 0.6% |
| 43 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | Salticidae | 10 | 0.6% |
| 44 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | Linyphiidae | 10 | 0.6% |
| 45 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | Gnaphosidae | 10 | 0.6% |
| 46 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | Thomisidae | 9 | 0.6% |
| 47 | Arkansas wandering spider Ctenus exlineae | Ctenidae | 9 | 0.6% |
| 48 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | Linyphiidae | 9 | 0.6% |
| 49 | Cardinal jumper Phidippus cardinalis | Salticidae | 9 | 0.6% |
| 50 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | Theridiidae | 9 | 0.6% |
| 51 | Habronattus coecatus | Salticidae | 8 | 0.5% |
| 52 | Allocosa funerea | Lycosidae | 7 | 0.4% |
| 53 | Ariadna bicolor | Segestriidae | 7 | 0.4% |
| 54 | Butterfly orbweaver Araneus pegnia | Araneidae | 7 | 0.4% |
| 55 | Deadly ground crab spider Xysticus funestus | Thomisidae | 7 | 0.4% |
| 56 | Drumming sword wolf spider Gladicosa gulosa | Lycosidae | 7 | 0.4% |
| 57 | Dwarf ground long-jawed spider Glenognatha foxi | Tetragnathidae | 7 | 0.4% |
| 58 | Hammerjawed jumper Zygoballus rufipes | Salticidae | 7 | 0.4% |
| 59 | Lance wolf spider Schizocosa avida | Lycosidae | 7 | 0.4% |
| 60 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | Theridiidae | 7 | 0.4% |
Related pages
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.