Dock spider (Dolomedes scriptus)
The dock spider is a spider in the family Pisauridae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 550 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 33 states, most of all New York (88), New Hampshire (41) and Ohio (39). Its observation records peak in August.
Dolomedes scriptus is a fishing spider found in the United States and Canada, known as the striped fishing spider. Female spiders can grow to be over 6 cm in legspan. The spider is a pale brown colour with lighter stripes around its legs and a stripe down each side of the body.
From Wikipedia: Dolomedes scriptus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the dock spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the dock spider (family Pisauridae) has venom for its prey, but it is not a widow or recluse, the two U.S. groups whose bites need medical attention.
Which states have the dock spider?
Records are spread over 33 states; the top three, New York, New Hampshire and Ohio, hold 31% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 88 | 1.4% | 17th of 149 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 41 | 3.0% | 8th of 72 |
| 3 | Ohio | 39 | 0.6% | 44th of 332 |
| 4 | Minnesota | 32 | 1.1% | 22nd of 145 |
| 5 | Maine | 31 | 3.3% | 7th of 297 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 31 | 0.4% | 44th of 164 |
| 7 | Virginia | 29 | 0.3% | 68th of 176 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 27 | 0.3% | 61st of 184 |
| 9 | Vermont | 24 | 1.5% | 16th of 74 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 22 | 0.7% | 35th of 149 |
| 11 | Maryland | 21 | 0.4% | 59th of 153 |
| 12 | Tennessee | 20 | 0.5% | 45th of 138 |
| 13 | Illinois | 19 | 0.1% | 130th of 243 |
| 14 | West Virginia | 19 | 2.5% | 10th of 90 |
| 15 | Colorado | 15 | 0.4% | 30th of 378 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | 14 | 0.3% | 60th of 189 |
| 17 | Michigan | 12 | 0.5% | 37th of 122 |
| 18 | Connecticut | 10 | 1.0% | 23rd of 86 |
| 19 | Alabama | 8 | 0.2% | 78th of 143 |
| 20 | Indiana | 8 | 0.2% | 98th of 133 |
| 21 | Missouri | 6 | 0.3% | 58th of 117 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 6 | 0.1% | 96th of 149 |
| 23 | Texas | 6 | 0.0% | 240th of 386 |
| 24 | Kentucky | 5 | 0.3% | 61st of 103 |
| 25 | New Jersey | 5 | 0.2% | 80th of 127 |
| 26 | Georgia | 2 | 0.0% | 152nd of 186 |
| 27 | Iowa | 2 | 0.3% | 38th of 57 |
| 28 | Arkansas | 1 | 0.1% | 94th of 114 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | 1 | 0.6% | 29th of 53 |
| 30 | South Dakota | 1 | 0.5% | 22nd of 29 |
| 31 | Utah | 1 | 0.0% | 74th of 97 |
| 32 | Delaware | 0 | — | — |
| 33 | South Carolina | 0 | — | — |
When is the dock spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the dock spider run mostly April through September, peaking in August with 25% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (Pennsylvania) and latest in June (Maine and New Hampshire). The most common peak months are July and August, each shared by three states.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | April through September | August | 88 |
| New Hampshire | June through September | August | 41 |
| Ohio | April through October | July | 39 |
| Minnesota | May through September | August | 32 |
| Maine | June through September | July | 31 |
| Pennsylvania | March through September | July | 30 |
Where the dock spider is recorded in each state
New York
New York holds 88 licensed records, the 17th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly April through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Onondaga County, Tompkins County and St. Lawrence County. Next come Hamilton County (8) and Essex County (7).
New Hampshire
New Hampshire holds 41 licensed records, the joint 8th most recorded of 72 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New Hampshire run mostly June through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Grafton County, Cheshire County and Carroll County. Next come Sullivan County (3) and Hillsborough County (3).
Ohio
Ohio holds 39 licensed records, the joint 44th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly April through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Lake County, Franklin County and Montgomery County. Next come Summit County (5) and Adams County (2).
Minnesota
Minnesota holds 32 licensed records, the 22nd most recorded of 145 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Minnesota run mostly May through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Cook County, Lake County and St. Louis County. Next come Hennepin County (2) and Rice County (2).
Maine
Maine holds 31 licensed records, the joint 7th most recorded of 297 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maine run mostly June through September, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Hancock County, Waldo County and Washington County. Next come Kennebec County (3) and Lincoln County (3).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 31 licensed records, the 44th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly March through September, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Chester County, Delaware County and Monroe County. Next come Washington County (3) and Centre County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Onondaga County | New York | 18 | 3.3% |
| 2 | Grafton County | New Hampshire | 17 | 3.1% |
| 3 | Cook County | Minnesota | 12 | 2.2% |
| 4 | Tompkins County | New York | 12 | 2.2% |
| 5 | Cheshire County | New Hampshire | 10 | 1.8% |
| 6 | St. Lawrence County | New York | 10 | 1.8% |
| 7 | Lake County | Ohio | 9 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Hamilton County | New York | 8 | 1.5% |
| 9 | Essex County | New York | 7 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Hancock County | Maine | 6 | 1.1% |
| 11 | Schuyler County | New York | 6 | 1.1% |
| 12 | Lake County | Minnesota | 5 | 0.9% |
| 13 | Carroll County | New Hampshire | 5 | 0.9% |
| 14 | Warren County | New York | 5 | 0.9% |
| 15 | Franklin County | Ohio | 5 | 0.9% |
How recent are the dock spider records?
Most of what is known about the dock spider is recent: 92% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1928; the busiest year was 2024, with 85 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 2 | 0.4% |
| 1930s | 5 | 0.9% |
| 1940s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1950s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1960s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 2000s | 7 | 1.3% |
| 2010s | 90 | 16.2% |
| 2020s | 450 | 80.8% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 79 counties where the dock spider is most recorded, 46 are also top counties for the sixspotted orbweaver, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Sixspotted orbweaver | 46 |
| Dark fishing spider | 44 |
| Bronze jumper | 39 |
| Nursery web spider | 37 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 35 |
| Goldenrod crab spider | 33 |
| Zebra spider | 28 |
| Arabesque orbweaver | 26 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Dolomedes with profiles here: Dark fishing spider, Sixspotted fishing spider, White-banded fishing spider and Banded fishing spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.