Snakes and spiders in Harford County, Maryland
Harford County, home of Bel Air, has 7 snake and 30 spider species on record, from 60 licensed snake and 310 spider records. Venomous species here: the northern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Harford County?
Yes. The northern black widow: 6 licensed records, 16% of all Maryland records of it.
What snakes are in Harford County?
In all, 7 snake species are on the Harford County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (16), the northern water snake (15) and the eastern rat snake (10).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Maryland records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 16 | 3% |
| 2 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 15 | 3% |
| 3 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 10 | 2% |
| 4 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 5 | 2% |
| 5 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 4 | 1% |
| 6 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 2 | 2% |
| 7 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 2 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Harford County?
Observation records of snakes in Harford County run mostly April through September, peaking in April with 26% of them; across Maryland the peak is May.
What spiders are in Harford County?
In all, 30 spider species are on the Harford County list. The most recorded are the nursery web spider (41), Paraphidippus aurantius (25) and the bold jumper (18).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Maryland records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 41 | 18% |
| 2 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 25 | 16% |
| 3 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 18 | 7% |
| 4 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 16 | 25% |
| 5 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 14 | 4% |
| 6 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 13 | 6% |
| 7 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 12 | 17% |
| 8 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 10 | 6% |
| 9 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 10 | 7% |
| 10 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 9 | 5% |
| 11 | Butterfly orbweaver Araneus pegnia | 8 | 17% |
| 12 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 7 | 7% |
| 13 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 6 | 2% |
| 14 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 6 | 16% |
| 15 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 5 | 5% |
| 16 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 5 | 4% |
| 17 | Pisaurina dubia | 4 | 22% |
| 18 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 3 | 2% |
| 19 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 3 | 9% |
| 20 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 3 | 5% |
| 21 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 3 | 5% |
| 22 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 2 | 3% |
| 23 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 2 | 4% |
| 24 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 2 | 2% |
| 25 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 2 | 4% |
| 26 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 2 | 4% |
| 27 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 2 | 3% |
| 28 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 2 | 4% |
| 29 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 1 | 4% |
| 30 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | — | — |
When are spiders out in Harford County?
Observation records of spiders in Harford County run mostly April through October, peaking in June with 25% of them; across Maryland the peak is August.
What stands out in Harford County
Species for which Harford County holds a large share of all Maryland records: the peppered jumper, 25% (16 of 65); the nursery web spider, 18% (41 of 222); the arabesque orbweaver, 17% (12 of 70); Paraphidippus aurantius, 16% (25 of 161).
Common in Maryland, not on the Harford County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Maryland, these do not reach the county list: the eastern wormsnake (248 statewide), the rough greensnake (152 statewide), the eastern copperhead (144 statewide), the eastern hog-nosed snake (102 statewide) and the smooth earth snake (86 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Harford County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Maryland list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake, the eastern rat snake and the eastern milksnake. 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 coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Maryland under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the eastern milksnake.
Harford County among Maryland counties
By licensed snake records Harford County ranks 14th of 23 Maryland counties with any.
Other Maryland counties with their own page: Prince George's County, Montgomery County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Frederick County and Howard 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.