Snakes and spiders in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Mecklenburg County, home of Charlotte, has 15 snake and 51 spider species on record, from 311 licensed snake and 393 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead and the brown widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Mecklenburg County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 30 licensed records, 2% of all North Carolina records of it. The brown widow: 2 licensed records, 12% of all North Carolina records of it.
What snakes are in Mecklenburg County?
In all, 15 snake species are on the Mecklenburg County list. The most recorded are the eastern rat snake (59), the DeKay's brown snake (44) and the eastern wormsnake (38).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 59 | 3% |
| 2 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 44 | 5% |
| 3 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 38 | 4% |
| 4 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 30 | 2% |
| 5 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 24 | 2% |
| 6 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 19 | 2% |
| 7 | Mole kingsnake Lampropeltis rhombomaculata | 17 | 7% |
| 8 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 11 | 1% |
| 9 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 11 | 2% |
| 10 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 10 | 1% |
| 11 | Eastern kingsnake Lampropeltis getula | 9 | 2% |
| 12 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 9 | 1% |
| 13 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 6 | 1% |
| 14 | Smooth earth snake Virginia valeriae | 5 | 2% |
| 15 | Brown water snake Nerodia taxispilota | 1 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Mecklenburg County?
Observation records of snakes in Mecklenburg County run mostly March through November, peaking in May with 19% of them, the same peak as North Carolina as a whole.
What spiders are in Mecklenburg County?
In all, 51 spider species are on the Mecklenburg County list. The most recorded are the black-and-yellow argiope (31), the green lynx spider (21) and the orchard orbweaver (18).
| # | Species | Records | Share of North Carolina records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 31 | 7% |
| 2 | Green lynx spider Peucetia viridans | 21 | 10% |
| 3 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 18 | 6% |
| 4 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 17 | 9% |
| 5 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 13 | 7% |
| 6 | Twin-flagged jumping spider Anasaitis canosa | 13 | 14% |
| 7 | Spiny-backed orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis | 12 | 9% |
| 8 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 11 | 5% |
| 9 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 11 | 10% |
| 10 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 11 | 8% |
| 11 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 10 | 10% |
| 12 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 9 | 23% |
| 13 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 8 | 4% |
| 14 | Tigrosa annexa | 8 | 9% |
| 15 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 7 | 7% |
| 16 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 6 | 4% |
| 17 | Labyrinth orbweaver Metepeira labyrinthea | 6 | 15% |
| 18 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 6 | 10% |
| 19 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 6 | 15% |
| 20 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 5 | 12% |
| 21 | Ribbon jumping spider Metacyrba taeniola | 5 | 25% |
| 22 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 5 | 4% |
| 23 | Southern house spider Kukulcania hibernalis | 5 | 9% |
| 24 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 5 | 13% |
| 25 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 4 | 5% |
| 26 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 4 | 2% |
| 27 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 4 | 4% |
| 28 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 4 | 5% |
| 29 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 3 | 4% |
| 30 | False black widow Steatoda grossa | 3 | 7% |
| 31 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 3 | 8% |
| 32 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 3 | 5% |
| 33 | Red-femured spotted orbweaver Neoscona domiciliorum | 3 | 3% |
| 34 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | 3 | 6% |
| 35 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 3 | 2% |
| 36 | Audouin's trapdoor spider Ummidia audouini | 2 | 14% |
| 37 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 2 | 7% |
| 38 | Barronopsis texana | 2 | 9% |
| 39 | Brown widow venomous introduced Latrodectus geometricus | 2 | 12% |
| 40 | Canopy jumping spider Phidippus otiosus | 2 | 2% |
| 41 | Joro spider Trichonephila clavata | 2 | 4% |
| 42 | Scytodes atlacoya | 2 | 4% |
| 43 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | 2 | 17% |
| 44 | Allocosa funerea | 1 | 14% |
| 45 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 1 | 2% |
| 46 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 1 | 5% |
| 47 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 1 | 1% |
| 48 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | — | — |
| 49 | Dotted wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata | — | — |
| 50 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | — | — |
| 51 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | — | — |
When are spiders out in Mecklenburg County?
Observation records of spiders in Mecklenburg County run mostly April through November, peaking in September with 18% of them, the same peak as North Carolina as a whole.
Common in North Carolina, not on the Mecklenburg County list
Among the snakes most recorded across North Carolina, these do not reach the county list: the southern watersnake (1,158 statewide), the corn snake (740 statewide) and the rough earthsnake (712 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 North Carolina, these do not reach the county list: the Pocock's lampshade-web spider (302 statewide) and the American golden orb weaver (130 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Mecklenburg 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. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth is on the North Carolina list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake and the brown water snake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the timber rattlesnake and the pygmy rattlesnake are on the North Carolina list: treat any snake like them 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 and the false black widow. Recluse spiders are not on the North Carolina list, but GBIF holds 25 recluse spider records of any license in North Carolina (brown recluse 25), 1 of them in Mecklenburg County: treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider and the southern house spider.
Mecklenburg County among North Carolina counties
By licensed snake records Mecklenburg County ranks 22nd of 100 North Carolina counties with any.
Other North Carolina counties with their own page: Wake County, Sampson County, Columbus County, Durham County, Moore County, Orange County, Dare County and Brunswick County.
The whole state: venomous species in North Carolina, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.