Snakes and spiders in Fairfax County, Virginia

Yes. The eastern copperhead: 39 licensed records, 6% of all Virginia records of it. The northern black widow: 12 licensed records, 19% of all Virginia records of it. The southern black widow: 3 licensed records, 5% of all Virginia records of it.

In all, 17 snake species are on the Fairfax County list. The most recorded are the northern water snake (178), the eastern rat snake (138) and the common garter snake (102).

Observation records of snakes in Fairfax County run mostly March through October, peaking in May with 23% of them, the same peak as Virginia as a whole.

In all, 97 spider species are on the Fairfax County list. The most recorded are the dark fishing spider (312), the orchard orbweaver (292) and the magnolia green jumper (272). Fairfax County holds more than half of all Virginia records of the dark fishing spider, the magnolia green jumper, the nursery web spider and the white-banded fishing spider.

Observation records of spiders in Fairfax County run mostly March through November, peaking in September with 16% of them, the same peak as Virginia as a whole.

Species for which Fairfax County holds a large share of all Virginia records: Phylloneta pictipes, 93% (38 of 41); Wulfila albens, 92% (67 of 73); the greenlegged orbweaver, 89% (31 of 35); Mangora spiculata, 81% (21 of 26); the common white-cheeked jumping spider, 74% (29 of 39); the boreal combfoot, 68% (50 of 74); Spintharus flavidus, 67% (18 of 27); the dark fishing spider, 65% (312 of 480).

Among the snakes most recorded across Virginia, these do not reach the county list: the brown water snake (479 statewide), the northern cottonmouth (349 statewide) and the timber rattlesnake (242 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.

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 hog-nosed snake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, but the northern cottonmouth is on the Virginia list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the timber rattlesnake is on the Virginia list: treat any snake like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern hog-nosed snake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the boreal combfoot, the triangulate bud spider and the common house spider. Recluse spiders are not on the Virginia list, but GBIF holds 29 recluse spider records of any license in Virginia (brown recluse 29): treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider.

By licensed snake records Fairfax County ranks 1st of 129 Virginia counties with any.

Other Virginia counties with their own page: Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Prince William County, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Loudoun County, Arlington County and Hanover County.

The whole state: venomous species in Virginia, all snakes, all spiders.