Snakes and spiders in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County, home of Greensburg, has 11 snake and 38 spider species on record, from 509 licensed snake and 812 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead and the timber rattlesnake.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Westmoreland County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 40 licensed records, 15% of all Pennsylvania records of it. The timber rattlesnake: 24 licensed records, 5% of all Pennsylvania records of it.
What snakes are in Westmoreland County?
In all, 11 snake species are on the Westmoreland County list. The most recorded are the queen snake (116), the common garter snake (84) and the northern water snake (56).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Pennsylvania records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queen snake Regina septemvittata | 116 | 20% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 84 | 5% |
| 3 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 56 | 7% |
| 4 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 50 | 5% |
| 5 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 45 | 13% |
| 6 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 40 | 15% |
| 7 | Timber rattlesnake venomous Crotalus horridus | 24 | 5% |
| 8 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 20 | 4% |
| 9 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 17 | 3% |
| 10 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 13 | 3% |
| 11 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 10 | 5% |
When are snakes out in Westmoreland County?
Observation records of snakes in Westmoreland County run mostly April through September, peaking in June with 25% of them; across Pennsylvania the peak is May.
What spiders are in Westmoreland County?
In all, 38 spider species are on the Westmoreland County list. The most recorded are the dark fishing spider (25), the nursery web spider (24) and the orchard orbweaver (24). Westmoreland County holds more than half of all Pennsylvania records of the long-jawed orb weaver, Schizocosa crassipes, Dictyna foliacea and the forest wolf spider.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Pennsylvania records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 25 | 14% |
| 2 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 24 | 12% |
| 3 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 24 | 6% |
| 4 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 16 | 4% |
| 5 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 16 | 28% |
| 6 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 15 | 7% |
| 7 | Long-jawed orb weaver Tetragnatha laboriosa | 15 | 100% |
| 8 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 13 | 16% |
| 9 | Schizocosa crassipes | 13 | 100% |
| 10 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 13 | 10% |
| 11 | Dictyna foliacea | 12 | 100% |
| 12 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 12 | 12% |
| 13 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 12 | 16% |
| 14 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 11 | 6% |
| 15 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 10 | 42% |
| 16 | Forest wolf spider Hogna frondicola | 10 | 83% |
| 17 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 10 | 9% |
| 18 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 9 | 13% |
| 19 | Schizocosa saltatrix | 9 | 100% |
| 20 | Tan crab spider Xysticus ferox | 9 | 90% |
| 21 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 8 | 15% |
| 22 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 8 | 6% |
| 23 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 7 | 4% |
| 24 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 6 | 10% |
| 25 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 6 | 6% |
| 26 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 6 | 9% |
| 27 | Banded fishing spider Dolomedes vittatus | 5 | 14% |
| 28 | Greater ant-mimic corinne spider Phrurotimpus borealis | 5 | 56% |
| 29 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 4 | 5% |
| 30 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 4 | 7% |
| 31 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 4 | 12% |
| 32 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 3 | 14% |
| 33 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 3 | 3% |
| 34 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 2 | 6% |
| 35 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 2 | 2% |
| 36 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 2 | 2% |
| 37 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 2 | 5% |
| 38 | Dysdera crocata | 1 | 1% |
When are spiders out in Westmoreland County?
Observation records of spiders in Westmoreland County run mostly April through September, peaking in July with 20% of them; across Pennsylvania the peak is June.
What stands out in Westmoreland County
Species for which Westmoreland County holds a large share of all Pennsylvania records: the brilliant jumping spider, 42% (10 of 24); the dimorphic jumper, 28% (16 of 58); the queen snake, 20% (116 of 566); the peppered jumper, 16% (13 of 81); the marbled orbweaver, 16% (12 of 77); the eastern copperhead, 15% (40 of 261).
Common in Pennsylvania, not on the Westmoreland County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Pennsylvania, these do not reach the county list: the shorthead garter snake (523 statewide) and the smooth earth snake (368 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Westmoreland County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: 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. 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.
Westmoreland County among Pennsylvania counties
By licensed snake records Westmoreland County ranks 3rd of 67 Pennsylvania counties with any.
Other Pennsylvania counties with their own page: Allegheny County, Warren County, Erie County, Centre County, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Philadelphia 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.