White-banded fishing spider (Dolomedes albineus)
The white-banded fishing spider is a spider in the family Pisauridae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 1,192 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 26 states, most of all Virginia (243), Georgia (123) and North Carolina (121). Its observation records peak in March.
Dolomedes albineus, the white-banded fishing spider, is a species of spider in the family Dolomedidae. It is found in the United States. Like most Dolomedes, this spider tends to hunt at or in streams and ponds.
From Wikipedia: Dolomedes albineus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the white-banded fishing spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the white-banded fishing 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 white-banded fishing spider?
Records are spread over 26 states; the top three, Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina, hold 41% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 243 | 2.1% | 12th of 176 |
| 2 | Georgia | 123 | 1.8% | 14th of 186 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 121 | 1.5% | 15th of 184 |
| 4 | Florida | 116 | 0.9% | 18th of 237 |
| 5 | Alabama | 88 | 2.4% | 8th of 143 |
| 6 | Maryland | 63 | 1.1% | 23rd of 153 |
| 7 | Texas | 51 | 0.2% | 101st of 386 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 44 | 1.8% | 12th of 121 |
| 9 | Louisiana | 43 | 1.1% | 20th of 107 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 39 | 0.5% | 34th of 164 |
| 11 | Ohio | 36 | 0.5% | 47th of 332 |
| 12 | Indiana | 35 | 0.8% | 24th of 133 |
| 13 | Tennessee | 30 | 0.8% | 34th of 138 |
| 14 | Kentucky | 28 | 1.5% | 18th of 103 |
| 15 | Mississippi | 26 | 1.8% | 10th of 117 |
| 16 | New Jersey | 26 | 1.1% | 24th of 127 |
| 17 | Arkansas | 16 | 1.0% | 29th of 114 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | 14 | 0.3% | 68th of 149 |
| 19 | Missouri | 12 | 0.5% | 40th of 117 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 10 | 1.3% | 18th of 90 |
| 21 | Delaware | 9 | 0.4% | 51st of 71 |
| 22 | New York | 6 | 0.1% | 96th of 149 |
| 23 | Kansas | 5 | 0.3% | 55th of 94 |
| 24 | Illinois | 4 | 0.0% | 228th of 243 |
| 25 | Iowa | 2 | 0.3% | 38th of 57 |
| 26 | Connecticut | 1 | 0.1% | 69th of 86 |
When is the white-banded fishing spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the white-banded fishing spider run through most of the year, peaking in March with 14% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 13% of them.
Season by state
Observation records run through most of the year in Florida, Georgia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee) and latest in March (Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas). The most common peak month is July, shared by Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | September through May | March | 243 |
| Georgia | most of the year | July | 123 |
| North Carolina | March through November | August | 121 |
| Florida | most of the year | May | 115 |
| Alabama | February through August | April | 88 |
| Maryland | most of the year | April | 63 |
| Texas | March through September | July | 51 |
| South Carolina | February through October | July | 44 |
| Louisiana | December through August | May | 43 |
| Pennsylvania | most of the year | September | 39 |
| Ohio | March through November | April | 36 |
| Indiana | March through October | June | 35 |
| Tennessee | February through October | July | 30 |
Where the white-banded fishing spider is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 243 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly September through May, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Accomack County and Loudoun County. Next come Prince William County (13) and Prince Edward County (5).
Georgia
Georgia holds 123 licensed records, the 14th most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run through most of the year, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Clarke County, Cobb County and Gwinnett County. Next come Bryan County (6) and Bartow County (6).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 121 licensed records, the 15th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly March through November, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Orange County, Chatham County and Wake County. Next come Durham County (5) and Catawba County (4).
Florida
Florida holds 116 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 237 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Florida run through most of the year, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Alachua County, Escambia County and Orange County. Next come Leon County (6) and Duval County (5).
Alabama
Alabama holds 88 licensed records, the 8th most recorded of 143 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Alabama run mostly February through August, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Mobile County, Blount County and Jefferson County. Next come Tuscaloosa County (7) and Cullman County (4).
Maryland
Maryland holds 63 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run through most of the year, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Prince George's County, Howard County and Montgomery County. Next come Baltimore County (6) and Frederick County (5).
Texas
Texas holds 51 licensed records, the 101st most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through September, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Hardin County, Harris County and Bastrop County. Next come Brazoria County (4) and Lee County (3).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 44 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 121 spiders listed there. Its observation records in South Carolina run mostly February through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Richland County, Charleston County and Oconee County. Next come Chesterfield County (4) and Horry County (3).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 43 licensed records, the 20th most recorded of 107 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Louisiana run mostly December through August, peaking in May; most licensed records come from East Baton Rouge Parish, Jefferson Parish and Ascension Parish. Next come Saint Tammany Parish (3) and Washington Parish (3).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 39 licensed records, the joint 34th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run through most of the year, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Chester County, Bucks County and Montgomery County. Next come Delaware County (4) and Allegheny County (4).
Ohio
Ohio holds 36 licensed records, the 47th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly March through November, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Franklin County, Montgomery County and Wayne County. Next come Hocking County (3) and Summit County (3).
Indiana
Indiana holds 35 licensed records, the joint 24th most recorded of 133 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Indiana run mostly March through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Orange County, Morgan County and Marion County. Next come Monroe County (4) and Hamilton County (1).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 30 licensed records, the joint 34th most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly February through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Sevier County, Cheatham County and Knox County. Next come Bradley County (3) and Washington County (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 151 | 12.7% |
| 2 | Alachua County | Florida | 43 | 3.6% |
| 3 | Orange County | North Carolina | 39 | 3.3% |
| 4 | Mobile County | Alabama | 24 | 2.0% |
| 5 | Clarke County | Georgia | 20 | 1.7% |
| 6 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 20 | 1.7% |
| 7 | Blount County | Alabama | 19 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Accomack County | Virginia | 17 | 1.4% |
| 9 | Chatham County | North Carolina | 16 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Loudoun County | Virginia | 16 | 1.3% |
| 11 | East Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana | 13 | 1.1% |
| 12 | Prince William County | Virginia | 13 | 1.1% |
| 13 | Orange County | Indiana | 11 | 0.9% |
| 14 | Wake County | North Carolina | 11 | 0.9% |
| 15 | Richland County | South Carolina | 11 | 0.9% |
How recent are the white-banded fishing spider records?
Most of what is known about the white-banded fishing spider is recent: 97% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1985; the busiest year was 2025, with 203 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2 | 0.2% |
| 1990s | 2 | 0.2% |
| 2000s | 10 | 0.8% |
| 2010s | 164 | 13.2% |
| 2020s | 1,067 | 85.7% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 191 counties where the white-banded fishing spider is most recorded, 110 are also top counties for the familiar jumping spider, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Familiar jumping spider | 110 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 102 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 101 |
| Arrowhead orbweaver | 95 |
| Nursery web spider | 92 |
| Sylvan jumping spider | 88 |
| Spined micrathena | 86 |
| Rabid wolf spider | 84 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Dolomedes with profiles here: Dark fishing spider, Sixspotted fishing spider, Dock spider and Banded fishing spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.