Snakes and spiders in Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County, home of Leesburg, has 14 snake and 54 spider species on record, from 152 licensed snake and 478 spider records. Venomous species here: the eastern copperhead, the timber rattlesnake, the northern black widow and the southern black widow.
Are there venomous snakes or spiders in Loudoun County?
Yes. The eastern copperhead: 9 licensed records, 1% of all Virginia records of it. The timber rattlesnake: 5 licensed records, 2% of all Virginia records of it. The northern black widow: 4 licensed records, 6% of all Virginia records of it. The southern black widow: 1 licensed record, 2% of all Virginia records of it.
What snakes are in Loudoun County?
In all, 14 snake species are on the Loudoun County list. The most recorded are the eastern rat snake (42), the common garter snake (24) and the northern water snake (18).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Virginia records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern rat snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | 42 | 3% |
| 2 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 24 | 2% |
| 3 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 18 | 1% |
| 4 | Ring-necked snake Diadophis punctatus | 12 | 1% |
| 5 | Eastern copperhead venomous Agkistrodon contortrix | 9 | 1% |
| 6 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 9 | 4% |
| 7 | Eastern wormsnake Carphophis amoenus | 7 | 1% |
| 8 | Eastern racer Coluber constrictor | 6 | 1% |
| 9 | Queen snake Regina septemvittata | 6 | 4% |
| 10 | Timber rattlesnake venomous Crotalus horridus | 5 | 2% |
| 11 | Mole kingsnake Lampropeltis rhombomaculata | 4 | 3% |
| 12 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 3 | 1% |
| 13 | Eastern hog-nosed snake Heterodon platirhinos | 2 | 1% |
| 14 | Rough greensnake Opheodrys aestivus | 2 | 0% |
When are snakes out in Loudoun County?
Observation records of snakes in Loudoun County run mostly April through September, peaking in May with 31% of them, the same peak as Virginia as a whole.
What spiders are in Loudoun County?
In all, 54 spider species are on the Loudoun County list. The most recorded are the nursery web spider (28), Paraphidippus aurantius (27) and the dark fishing spider (26).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Virginia records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 28 | 6% |
| 2 | Paraphidippus aurantius | 27 | 9% |
| 3 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 26 | 5% |
| 4 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 25 | 3% |
| 5 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 22 | 5% |
| 6 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | 21 | 8% |
| 7 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | 20 | 10% |
| 8 | White-banded fishing spider Dolomedes albineus | 16 | 7% |
| 9 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 14 | 8% |
| 10 | Sylvan jumping spider Colonus sylvanus | 14 | 8% |
| 11 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 13 | 5% |
| 12 | Arrowhead orbweaver Verrucosa arenata | 12 | 3% |
| 13 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 10 | 13% |
| 14 | Slender ant mimicking jumping spider Synemosyna formica | 10 | 22% |
| 15 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 9 | 6% |
| 16 | Black-banded crab spider Synema parvulum | 9 | 8% |
| 17 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 9 | 2% |
| 18 | Boreal combfoot Steatoda borealis | 9 | 12% |
| 19 | Putnam's jumper Phidippus putnami | 9 | 5% |
| 20 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 9 | 4% |
| 21 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 8 | 7% |
| 22 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 8 | 8% |
| 23 | Magnolia green jumper Lyssomanes viridis | 8 | 2% |
| 24 | Labyrinth orbweaver Metepeira labyrinthea | 7 | 8% |
| 25 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 6 | 2% |
| 26 | Grayish jumping spider Phidippus princeps | 6 | 4% |
| 27 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 6 | 6% |
| 28 | Arrowshaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata | 5 | 5% |
| 29 | Basilica orbweaver Mecynogea lemniscata | 5 | 6% |
| 30 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 5 | 7% |
| 31 | Rabid wolf spider Rabidosa rabida | 5 | 4% |
| 32 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 5 | 5% |
| 33 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 5 | 3% |
| 34 | Northern black widow venomous Latrodectus variolus | 4 | 6% |
| 35 | Blacktailed red sheetweaver Florinda coccinea | 3 | 8% |
| 36 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 3 | 5% |
| 37 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 3 | 3% |
| 38 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | 3 | 5% |
| 39 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 2 | 33% |
| 40 | Canopy jumping spider Phidippus otiosus | 2 | 3% |
| 41 | Dotted wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata | 2 | 5% |
| 42 | Dysdera crocata | 2 | 5% |
| 43 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 2 | 1% |
| 44 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 2 | 1% |
| 45 | White micrathena Micrathena mitrata | 2 | 2% |
| 46 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 1 | 5% |
| 47 | Garden ghost spider Hibana gracilis | 1 | 2% |
| 48 | Georgia wolf spider Tigrosa georgicola | 1 | 1% |
| 49 | Southern black widow venomous Latrodectus mactans | 1 | 2% |
| 50 | Wetland giant wolf spider Tigrosa helluo | 1 | 2% |
| 51 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | — | — |
| 52 | Butterfly orbweaver Araneus pegnia | — | — |
| 53 | Tigrosa annexa | — | — |
| 54 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | — | — |
When are spiders out in Loudoun County?
Observation records of spiders in Loudoun County run mostly April through November, peaking in June with 15% of them; across Virginia the peak is September.
What stands out in Loudoun County
Species for which Loudoun County holds a large share of all Virginia records: the slender ant mimicking jumping spider, 22% (10 of 46).
Common in Virginia, not on the Loudoun County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Virginia, these do not reach the county list: the brown water snake (479 statewide) and the northern cottonmouth (349 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Loudoun County
Copperheads are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern rat snake, the northern water snake, the eastern milksnake 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. Rattlesnakes are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the eastern hog-nosed snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Virginia under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the eastern milksnake. Widow spiders are on the county list, and so are harmless species often taken for them: the boreal combfoot and the triangulate bud spider.
Loudoun County among Virginia counties
By licensed snake records Loudoun County ranks 19th of 129 Virginia counties with any.
Other Virginia counties with their own page: Fairfax County, Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Prince William County, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Arlington County and Hanover County.
The whole state: venomous species in Virginia, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.