Snakes and spiders in Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County, home of Ithaca, has 9 snake and 54 spider species on record, from 842 licensed snake and 1,070 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the eastern copperhead, the timber rattlesnake, the eastern massasauga and the northern black widow are on the New York list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Tompkins County?
In all, 9 snake species are on the Tompkins County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (363), the northern water snake (122) and the red-bellied snake (82).
| # | Species | Records | Share of New York records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 363 | 15% |
| 2 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 122 | 14% |
| 3 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 82 | 30% |
| 4 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 79 | 29% |
| 5 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 73 | 22% |
| 6 | Smooth green snake Opheodrys vernalis | 46 | 35% |
| 7 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 30 | 10% |
| 8 | Eastern ribbonsnake Thamnophis saurita | 15 | 17% |
| 9 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 2 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Tompkins County?
Observation records of snakes in Tompkins County run mostly April through October, peaking in May with 23% of them; across New York the peak is June.
What spiders are in Tompkins County?
In all, 54 spider species are on the Tompkins County list. The most recorded are the zebra spider (89), the bold jumper (72) and the familiar jumping spider (63). Tompkins County holds more than half of all New York records of Myrmarachne formicaria, the bowl and doily spider and the horned parasitic cobweaver.
| # | Species | Records | Share of New York records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 89 | 24% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 72 | 19% |
| 3 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 63 | 30% |
| 4 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 56 | 30% |
| 5 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 50 | 23% |
| 6 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 45 | 21% |
| 7 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 37 | 12% |
| 8 | Myrmarachne formicaria | 31 | 51% |
| 9 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 30 | 20% |
| 10 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 23 | 20% |
| 11 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 21 | 15% |
| 12 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 21 | 18% |
| 13 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 19 | 12% |
| 14 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 19 | 38% |
| 15 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 16 | 30% |
| 16 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 15 | 16% |
| 17 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | 14 | 35% |
| 18 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 14 | 32% |
| 19 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 14 | 18% |
| 20 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 13 | 50% |
| 21 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 13 | 9% |
| 22 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 13 | 8% |
| 23 | Dock spider Dolomedes scriptus | 12 | 14% |
| 24 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 12 | 22% |
| 25 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 11 | 15% |
| 26 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 11 | 13% |
| 27 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 10 | 14% |
| 28 | Dysdera crocata | 10 | 10% |
| 29 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 10 | 18% |
| 30 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 10 | 21% |
| 31 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 9 | 32% |
| 32 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 8 | 10% |
| 33 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 7 | 21% |
| 34 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 7 | 10% |
| 35 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 7 | 12% |
| 36 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 5 | 29% |
| 37 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 5 | 17% |
| 38 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 5 | 24% |
| 39 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 5 | 16% |
| 40 | Featherlegged orbweaver Uloborus glomosus | 5 | 36% |
| 41 | Northern yellow sac spider Cheiracanthium mildei | 5 | 28% |
| 42 | Pholcus manueli | 5 | 20% |
| 43 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 5 | 8% |
| 44 | Allocosa funerea | 3 | 8% |
| 45 | Horned parasitic cobweaver Neospintharus trigonum | 3 | 50% |
| 46 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 3 | 7% |
| 47 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 3 | 10% |
| 48 | Common candy-striped spider Enoplognatha ovata | 2 | 9% |
| 49 | Shamrock orbweaver Araneus trifolium | 2 | 11% |
| 50 | Spitting spider Scytodes thoracica | 2 | 11% |
| 51 | Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia | 1 | 2% |
| 52 | Habronattus decorus | 1 | 25% |
| 53 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | 1 | 33% |
| 54 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 1 | 5% |
When are spiders out in Tompkins County?
Observation records of spiders in Tompkins County run mostly April through October, peaking in September with 21% of them; across New York the peak is August.
What stands out in Tompkins County
Species for which Tompkins County holds a large share of all New York records: Myrmarachne formicaria, 51% (31 of 61); the bowl and doily spider, 50% (13 of 26); the tuftlegged orbweaver, 38% (19 of 50); the smooth green snake, 35% (46 of 131); the bridge orbweaver, 35% (14 of 40); the grayish jumping spider, 32% (14 of 44); the red-bellied snake, 30% (82 of 270); the familiar jumping spider, 30% (63 of 211).
Common in New York, not on the Tompkins County list
Among the snakes most recorded across New York, these do not reach the county list: the eastern copperhead (238 statewide), the timber rattlesnake (207 statewide) and the eastern racer (171 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Tompkins 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, the eastern milksnake and the eastern rat snake. 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. No widow spiders reach the county list, but the northern black widow is on the New York list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the triangulate bud spider. 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 and the spitting spider.
Tompkins County among New York counties
By licensed snake records Tompkins County ranks 2nd of 61 New York counties with any.
Other New York counties with their own page: Ulster County, Onondaga County, Suffolk 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.