Snakes and spiders in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia County, home of Philadelphia, has 7 snake and 36 spider species on record, from 136 licensed snake and 420 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the timber rattlesnake, the eastern copperhead, the eastern massasauga, the northern black widow and the southern black widow are on the Pennsylvania list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Philadelphia County?
In all, 7 snake species are on the Philadelphia County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (61), the DeKay's brown snake (44) and the northern water snake (13).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Pennsylvania records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 61 | 4% |
| 2 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 44 | 9% |
| 3 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 13 | 2% |
| 4 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 7 | 1% |
| 5 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 6 | 1% |
| 6 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 3 | 1% |
| 7 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 2 | 1% |
When are snakes out in Philadelphia County?
Observation records of snakes in Philadelphia County run mostly March through November, peaking in April with 26% of them; across Pennsylvania the peak is May.
What spiders are in Philadelphia County?
In all, 36 spider species are on the Philadelphia County list. The most recorded are the orchard orbweaver (82), the bold jumper (38) and the familiar jumping spider (18). Philadelphia County holds more than half of all Pennsylvania records of Heliophanus kochii.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Pennsylvania records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 82 | 19% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 38 | 10% |
| 3 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 18 | 9% |
| 4 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 15 | 9% |
| 5 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 15 | 8% |
| 6 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 14 | 7% |
| 7 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 12 | 29% |
| 8 | Barn funnel weaver Tegenaria domestica | 10 | 34% |
| 9 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 10 | 12% |
| 10 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 10 | 20% |
| 11 | Dysdera crocata | 9 | 10% |
| 12 | Featherlegged orbweaver Uloborus glomosus | 9 | 41% |
| 13 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 9 | 9% |
| 14 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 9 | 8% |
| 15 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 9 | 7% |
| 16 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 8 | 6% |
| 17 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 7 | 8% |
| 18 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 7 | 9% |
| 19 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 7 | 4% |
| 20 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 6 | 15% |
| 21 | Common Hentz jumping spider Hentzia palmarum | 5 | 22% |
| 22 | Heliophanus kochii | 5 | 100% |
| 23 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 5 | 9% |
| 24 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 5 | 4% |
| 25 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 4 | 4% |
| 26 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 4 | 6% |
| 27 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 3 | 5% |
| 28 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 3 | 5% |
| 29 | Karsch's purseweb spider Atypus karschi | 3 | 27% |
| 30 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 3 | 4% |
| 31 | Thin-spined jumping spider Tutelina elegans | 3 | 8% |
| 32 | Black laceweaver Amaurobius ferox | 2 | 5% |
| 33 | Drumming sword wolf spider Gladicosa gulosa | 2 | 9% |
| 34 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 2 | 6% |
| 35 | Spitting spider Scytodes thoracica | 2 | 25% |
| 36 | Icius subinermis | — | — |
When are spiders out in Philadelphia County?
Observation records of spiders in Philadelphia County run mostly April through September, peaking in June with 23% of them, the same peak as Pennsylvania as a whole.
What stands out in Philadelphia County
Species for which Philadelphia County holds a large share of all Pennsylvania records: the barn funnel weaver, 34% (10 of 29); the basilica orbweaver, 29% (12 of 41); the Putnam's jumper, 20% (10 of 49); the orchard orbweaver, 19% (82 of 429).
Common in Pennsylvania, not on the Philadelphia 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 timber rattlesnake (479 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 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 Philadelphia 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 milksnake and the eastern rat snake. 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. No recluse spiders reach the county list, and GBIF holds no recluse spider record for Pennsylvania under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the longbodied cellar spider and the spitting spider.
Philadelphia County among Pennsylvania counties
By licensed snake records Philadelphia County ranks 22nd 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 Dauphin 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.