Snakes and spiders in Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County, home of Riverhead, has 7 snake and 47 spider species on record, from 129 licensed snake and 368 spider records. Venomous species here: the northern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Suffolk County?
Yes. The northern black widow: 5 licensed records, 71% of all New York records of it.
What snakes are in Suffolk County?
In all, 7 snake species are on the Suffolk County list. The most recorded are the northern water snake (55), the common garter snake (35) and the eastern racer (9).
| # | Species | Records | Share of New York records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 55 | 6% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 35 | 1% |
| 3 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 9 | 5% |
| 4 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 8 | 9% |
| 5 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 6 | 2% |
| 6 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 4 | 1% |
| 7 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Suffolk County?
Observation records of snakes in Suffolk County run mostly March through October, peaking in August with 27% of them; across New York the peak is June.
What spiders are in Suffolk County?
In all, 47 spider species are on the Suffolk County list. The most recorded are the orchard orbweaver (22), the spined micrathena (17) and the familiar jumping spider (15). Suffolk County holds more than half of all New York records of the northern black widow.
| # | Species | Records | Share of New York records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 22 | 7% |
| 2 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 17 | 10% |
| 3 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 15 | 7% |
| 4 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 15 | 10% |
| 5 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 14 | 7% |
| 6 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 9 | 2% |
| 7 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 9 | 2% |
| 8 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 8 | 14% |
| 9 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 7 | 5% |
| 10 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 7 | 28% |
| 11 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 6 | 8% |
| 12 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 6 | 5% |
| 13 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 6 | 3% |
| 14 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 6 | 8% |
| 15 | Drumming sword wolf spider Gladicosa gulosa | 6 | 15% |
| 16 | Dysdera crocata | 6 | 6% |
| 17 | Garden ghost spider Hibana gracilis | 6 | 32% |
| 18 | Shoreline wolf spider Arctosa littoralis | 6 | 46% |
| 19 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 6 | 10% |
| 20 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 6 | 4% |
| 21 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 5 | 7% |
| 22 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 5 | 71% |
| 23 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 5 | 16% |
| 24 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 4 | 2% |
| 25 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 4 | 3% |
| 26 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 4 | 9% |
| 27 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 4 | 14% |
| 28 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 4 | 5% |
| 29 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 3 | 21% |
| 30 | Common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum | 3 | 14% |
| 31 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 3 | 4% |
| 32 | White sac spider Elaver excepta | 3 | 43% |
| 33 | Northern yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium mildei | 2 | 11% |
| 34 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 2 | 4% |
| 35 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 2 | 1% |
| 36 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 2 | 4% |
| 37 | Allocosa funerea | 1 | 2% |
| 38 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 1 | 3% |
| 39 | Boreal combfoot Steatoda borealis | 1 | 5% |
| 40 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 1 | 5% |
| 41 | Butterfly orbweaver Araneus pegnia | 1 | 12% |
| 42 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 1 | 3% |
| 43 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 1 | 2% |
| 44 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 1 | 2% |
| 45 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 1 | 8% |
| 46 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | — | — |
| 47 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Suffolk County?
Observation records of spiders in Suffolk County run mostly April through October, peaking in August with 20% of them, the same peak as New York as a whole.
Common in New York, not on the Suffolk County list
Among the snakes most recorded across New York, these do not reach the county list: the red-bellied snake (270 statewide), the eastern copperhead (238 statewide), the timber rattlesnake (207 statewide), the eastern rat snake (151 statewide) and the smooth green snake (131 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Suffolk County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the New York list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake and the eastern milksnake. Cottonmouths are not on the New York list, but GBIF holds 1 cottonmouth record of any license in New York (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 New York under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the eastern milksnake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the common house spider, the triangulate bud spider and the boreal combfoot. Recluse spiders are not on the New York list, but GBIF holds 1 recluse spider record of any license in New York (brown recluse 1): treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider.
Suffolk County among New York counties
By licensed snake records Suffolk County ranks 10th of 61 New York counties with any.
Other New York counties with their own page: Ulster County, Tompkins County, Onondaga County, Rockland County, Westchester County and Nassau County.
The whole state: venomous species in New York, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.