Snakes and spiders in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County, home of Annapolis, has 13 snake and 68 spider species on record, from 312 licensed snake and 463 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the southern black widow and the northern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Anne Arundel County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 5 licensed records, 3% of all Maryland records of it. The southern black widow: 6 licensed records, 24% of all Maryland records of it. The northern black widow: 2 licensed records, 5% of all Maryland records of it.
What snakes are in Anne Arundel County?
In all, 13 snake species are on the Anne Arundel County list. The most recorded are the eastern rat snake (70), the eastern wormsnake (51) and the northern water snake (45).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Maryland records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 70 | 12% |
| 2 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 51 | 21% |
| 3 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 45 | 8% |
| 4 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 32 | 15% |
| 5 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 29 | 6% |
| 6 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 19 | 12% |
| 7 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 17 | 6% |
| 8 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 8 | 3% |
| 9 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 6 | 9% |
| 10 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 6 | 12% |
| 11 | Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae | 6 | 7% |
| 12 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 5 | 3% |
| 13 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 4 | 4% |
When are snakes out in Anne Arundel County?
Observation records of snakes in Anne Arundel County run mostly March through October, peaking in May with 22% of them, the same peak as Maryland as a whole.
What spiders are in Anne Arundel County?
In all, 68 spider species are on the Anne Arundel County list. The most recorded are the orchard orbweaver (48), the familiar jumping spider (31) and the spined micrathena (24).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Maryland records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 48 | 12% |
| 2 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 31 | 12% |
| 3 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 24 | 13% |
| 4 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 19 | 11% |
| 5 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 16 | 22% |
| 6 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 15 | 7% |
| 7 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 15 | 7% |
| 8 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 11 | 7% |
| 9 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 11 | 4% |
| 10 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 9 | 9% |
| 11 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 9 | 6% |
| 12 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 9 | 18% |
| 13 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 8 | 18% |
| 14 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 8 | 15% |
| 15 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 8 | 10% |
| 16 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 8 | 15% |
| 17 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 7 | 7% |
| 18 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 7 | 10% |
| 19 | Labyrinth orbweaver Metepeira labyrinthea | 7 | 12% |
| 20 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 7 | 5% |
| 21 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 6 | 9% |
| 22 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 6 | 24% |
| 23 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 5 | 8% |
| 24 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 5 | 3% |
| 25 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 5 | 17% |
| 26 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 5 | 5% |
| 27 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | 5 | 12% |
| 28 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 4 | 15% |
| 29 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 4 | 8% |
| 30 | Dysdera crocata | 4 | 11% |
| 31 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 4 | 10% |
| 32 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 4 | 6% |
| 33 | Barronopsis jeffersi | 3 | 14% |
| 34 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 3 | 6% |
| 35 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 3 | 9% |
| 36 | Canopy jumping spider Phidippus otiosus | 3 | 13% |
| 37 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 3 | 3% |
| 38 | Pisaurina dubia | 3 | 17% |
| 39 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 3 | 13% |
| 40 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 3 | 6% |
| 41 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 3 | 15% |
| 42 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 3 | 3% |
| 43 | Tigrosa annexa | 3 | 14% |
| 44 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 3 | 6% |
| 45 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 2 | 10% |
| 46 | Black-banded crab spider Synema parvulum | 2 | 6% |
| 47 | Boreal combfoot Steatoda borealis | 2 | 6% |
| 48 | Common white-cheeked jumping spider Pelegrina proterva | 2 | 12% |
| 49 | Dock spider Dolomedes scriptus | 2 | 10% |
| 50 | Dotted wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata | 2 | 10% |
| 51 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 2 | 4% |
| 52 | Garden ghost spider Hibana gracilis | 2 | 6% |
| 53 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 2 | 4% |
| 54 | Heptagonal orbweaver Gea heptagon | 2 | 11% |
| 55 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 2 | 5% |
| 56 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 2 | 3% |
| 57 | Red-legged purseweb spider Sphodros rufipes | 2 | 18% |
| 58 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 2 | 9% |
| 59 | Two-lined stealthy ground spider Cesonia bilineata | 2 | 33% |
| 60 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 2 | 3% |
When are spiders out in Anne Arundel County?
Observation records of spiders in Anne Arundel County run mostly April through October, peaking in August with 19% of them, the same peak as Maryland as a whole.
What stands out in Anne Arundel County
Species for which Anne Arundel County holds a large share of all Maryland records: the flea jumping spider, 22% (16 of 74); the eastern wormsnake, 21% (51 of 248).
Common in Maryland, not on the Anne Arundel County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Maryland, these do not reach the county list: the eastern milksnake (110 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Anne Arundel 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 eastern hog-nosed snake. Cottonmouths are not on the Maryland list, but GBIF holds 1 cottonmouth record of any license in Maryland (northern cottonmouth 1): treat any snake like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the timber rattlesnake is on the Maryland list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern hog-nosed snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the triangulate bud spider, the common house spider and the boreal combfoot. Recluse spiders are not on the Maryland list, but GBIF holds 8 recluse spider records of any license in Maryland (brown recluse 8), 6 of them in Anne Arundel County: treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider.
Anne Arundel County among Maryland counties
By licensed snake records Anne Arundel County ranks 3rd of 23 Maryland counties with any.
Other Maryland counties with their own page: Prince George's County, Montgomery County, Baltimore County, Frederick County, Howard County and Harford County.
The whole state: venomous species in Maryland, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.