Snakes and spiders in Clarke County, Georgia
Clarke County, home of Athens, has 13 snake and 65 spider species on record, from 152 licensed snake and 1,247 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the timber rattlesnake, the southern black widow and the brown widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Clarke County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 6 licensed records, 5% of all Georgia records of it. The timber rattlesnake: 1 licensed record, 1% of all Georgia records of it. The southern black widow: 9 licensed records, 22% of all Georgia records of it. The brown widow: 5 licensed records, 12% of all Georgia records of it.
What snakes are in Clarke County?
In all, 13 snake species are on the Clarke County list. The most recorded are the eastern rat snake (26), the northern water snake (23) and the DeKay's brown snake (21).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Georgia records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 26 | 13% |
| 2 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 23 | 11% |
| 3 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 21 | 10% |
| 4 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 20 | 6% |
| 5 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 10 | 11% |
| 6 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 10 | 8% |
| 7 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 9 | 11% |
| 8 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 8 | 4% |
| 9 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 6 | 5% |
| 10 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 5 | 2% |
| 11 | Plain-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster | 3 | 4% |
| 12 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 2 | 1% |
| 13 | Timber rattlesnake venomous Crotalus horridus | 1 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Clarke County?
Observation records of snakes in Clarke County run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 22% of them; across Georgia the peak is May.
What spiders are in Clarke County?
In all, 65 spider species are on the Clarke County list. The most recorded are the green lynx spider (95), the Putnam's jumper (74) and the Joro spider (71). Clarke County holds more than half of all Georgia records of the Putnam's jumper, the brilliant jumping spider, the peppered jumper and the difoliate orbweaver.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Georgia records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 95 | 31% |
| 2 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 74 | 51% |
| 3 | Joro spider Trichonephila clavata | 71 | 13% |
| 4 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 62 | 16% |
| 5 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 61 | 45% |
| 6 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 50 | 40% |
| 7 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 48 | 52% |
| 8 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 44 | 60% |
| 9 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 38 | 42% |
| 10 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 38 | 15% |
| 11 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 36 | 12% |
| 12 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 33 | 29% |
| 13 | Difoliate orbweaver Acacesia hamata | 29 | 67% |
| 14 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 29 | 30% |
| 15 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 29 | 23% |
| 16 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 25 | 40% |
| 17 | Slender ant mimicking jumping spider Synemosyna formica | 21 | 31% |
| 18 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 20 | 19% |
| 19 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 20 | 16% |
| 20 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 18 | 28% |
| 21 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 18 | 14% |
| 22 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 16 | 29% |
| 23 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 15 | 10% |
| 24 | Whitman's jumping spider Phidippus whitmani | 15 | 41% |
| 25 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 14 | 34% |
| 26 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 14 | 35% |
| 27 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 14 | 16% |
| 28 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 11 | 44% |
| 29 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 11 | 17% |
| 30 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 10 | 10% |
| 31 | Eris floridana | 10 | 45% |
| 32 | Maevia expansa | 10 | 32% |
| 33 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 10 | 20% |
| 34 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | 10 | 29% |
| 35 | Cyclosa turbinata | 9 | 32% |
| 36 | Habronattus coecatus | 9 | 47% |
| 37 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 9 | 22% |
| 38 | Southern house spider Kukulcania hibernalis | 9 | 19% |
| 39 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 8 | 20% |
| 40 | Hart's jumping spider Tutelina harti | 8 | 80% |
| 41 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 8 | 26% |
| 42 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 7 | 18% |
| 43 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 7 | 19% |
| 44 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 6 | 16% |
| 45 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 6 | 9% |
| 46 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 6 | 4% |
| 47 | Synageles noxiosus | 6 | 86% |
| 48 | Brown widow venomous introduced Latrodectus geometricus | 5 | 12% |
| 49 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | 5 | 17% |
| 50 | Featherlegged orbweaver Uloborus glomosus | 4 | 21% |
| 51 | Hammerjawed jumper Zygoballus rufipes | 4 | 50% |
| 52 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 4 | 13% |
| 53 | Black-banded crab spider Synema parvulum | 3 | 8% |
| 54 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 3 | 27% |
| 55 | Heptagonal orbweaver Gea heptagon | 3 | 11% |
| 56 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 3 | 11% |
| 57 | Tigrosa annexa | 3 | 9% |
| 58 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 2 | 10% |
| 59 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 2 | 10% |
| 60 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 2 | 6% |
When are spiders out in Clarke County?
Observation records of spiders in Clarke County run mostly March through October, peaking in August with 19% of them, the same peak as Georgia as a whole.
What stands out in Clarke County
Species for which Clarke County holds a large share of all Georgia records: the difoliate orbweaver, 67% (29 of 43); the peppered jumper, 60% (44 of 73); the brilliant jumping spider, 52% (48 of 92); the Putnam's jumper, 51% (74 of 145); Eris floridana, 45% (10 of 22); Paraphidippus aurantius, 45% (61 of 137); the furrow orbweaver, 44% (11 of 25); the nursery web spider, 42% (38 of 91).
Common in Georgia, not on the Clarke County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Georgia, these do not reach the county list: the brown water snake (2,808 statewide) and the southern watersnake (155 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Among the spiders most recorded across Georgia, these do not reach the county list: the American golden orb weaver (194 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Clarke County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern rat snake, the northern water snake and the plain-bellied watersnake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth and the Florida cottonmouth are on the Georgia list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake and the plain-bellied watersnake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider. No recluse spiders reach the county list, but the brown recluse is on the Georgia list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the southern house spider and the longbodied cellar spider.
Clarke County among Georgia counties
By licensed snake records Clarke County ranks 4th of 153 Georgia counties with any.
Other Georgia counties with their own page: Charlton County, Cobb County, DeKalb County and Gwinnett County.
The whole state: venomous species in Georgia, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.