Snakes and spiders in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County, home of Harrisburg, has 7 snake and 13 spider species on record, from 58 licensed snake and 348 spider records. Venomous species here: the timber rattlesnake.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Dauphin County?
Yes. The timber rattlesnake: 2 licensed records, 0% of all Pennsylvania records of it.
What snakes are in Dauphin County?
In all, 7 snake species are on the Dauphin County list. The most recorded are the northern water snake (13), the common garter snake (11) and the DeKay's brown snake (8).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Pennsylvania records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 13 | 2% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 11 | 1% |
| 3 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 8 | 2% |
| 4 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 7 | 2% |
| 5 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 5 | 1% |
| 6 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 2 | 0% |
| 7 | Timber rattlesnake venomous Crotalus horridus | 2 | 0% |
What spiders are in Dauphin County?
In all, 13 spider species are on the Dauphin County list. The most recorded are the bold jumper (9), the orchard orbweaver (6) and the zebra spider (5).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Pennsylvania records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 9 | 2% |
| 2 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 6 | 1% |
| 3 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 5 | 4% |
| 4 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 4 | 4% |
| 5 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 3 | 3% |
| 6 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 2 | 1% |
| 7 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 2 | 1% |
| 8 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | 1 | 5% |
| 9 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 1 | 1% |
| 10 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 1 | 1% |
| 11 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 1 | 0% |
| 12 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 1 | 1% |
| 13 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | — | — |
When are spiders out in Dauphin County?
Observation records of spiders in Dauphin County run mostly March through September, peaking in June with 28% of them, the same peak as Pennsylvania as a whole.
Common in Pennsylvania, not on the Dauphin County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Pennsylvania, these do not reach the county list: the queen snake (566 statewide), the shorthead garter snake (523 statewide), the red-bellied snake (465 statewide), the smooth earth snake (368 statewide) and the eastern copperhead (261 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 Pennsylvania, these do not reach the county list: the wetland giant wolf spider (130 statewide) and the furrow orbweaver (108 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Dauphin County
No copperheads reach the county list, but the eastern copperhead is on the Pennsylvania 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. No cottonmouths reach the county list, and GBIF holds no cottonmouth record for Pennsylvania under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the northern water snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Pennsylvania 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 and the southern black widow are on the Pennsylvania list: treat any spider like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the triangulate bud spider.
Dauphin County among Pennsylvania counties
By licensed snake records Dauphin County ranks 47th of 67 Pennsylvania counties with any.
Other Pennsylvania counties with their own page: Allegheny County, Warren County, Westmoreland County, Erie County, Centre County, Montgomery County, Bucks County and Philadelphia County.
The whole state: venomous species in Pennsylvania, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.