Snakes and spiders in Dane County, Wisconsin
Dane County, home of Madison, has 7 snake and 47 spider species on record, from 72 licensed snake and 409 spider records. No venomous snake or spider reaches the county list, but the timber rattlesnake, the eastern massasauga and the northern black widow are on the Wisconsin list: treat any snake or spider like them as venomous until identified.
What snakes are in Dane County?
In all, 7 snake species are on the Dane County list. The most recorded are the common garter snake (36), the DeKay's brown snake (13) and the red-bellied snake (8).
| # | Species | Records | Share of Wisconsin records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis | 36 | 8% |
| 2 | DeKay's brown snake Storeria dekayi | 13 | 22% |
| 3 | Red-bellied snake Storeria occipitomaculata | 8 | 11% |
| 4 | Eastern fox snake Pantherophis vulpinus | 4 | 5% |
| 5 | Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon | 4 | 5% |
| 6 | Eastern milksnake Lampropeltis triangulum | 3 | 12% |
| 7 | Plains garter snake Thamnophis radix | 3 | 12% |
When are snakes out in Dane County?
Observation records of snakes in Dane County run mostly April through October, peaking in September with 22% of them; across Wisconsin the peak is May.
What spiders are in Dane County?
In all, 47 spider species are on the Dane County list. The most recorded are the familiar jumping spider (44), the zebra spider (37) and the black-and-yellow argiope (30). Dane County holds more than half of all Wisconsin records of the familiar jumping spider, Pholcus manueli and the openfield orbweaver.
| # | Species | Records | Share of Wisconsin records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | 44 | 73% |
| 2 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | 37 | 30% |
| 3 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | 30 | 29% |
| 4 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | 23 | 38% |
| 5 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | 18 | 17% |
| 6 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | 18 | 42% |
| 7 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | 16 | 29% |
| 8 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | 15 | 41% |
| 9 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | 14 | 22% |
| 10 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | 11 | 32% |
| 11 | Common candy-striped spider Enoplognatha ovata | 10 | 33% |
| 12 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | 10 | 19% |
| 13 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | 10 | 31% |
| 14 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | 8 | 32% |
| 15 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | 8 | 22% |
| 16 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | 7 | 24% |
| 17 | Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia | 6 | 11% |
| 18 | Pholcus manueli | 6 | 50% |
| 19 | Shamrock orbweaver Araneus trifolium | 5 | 26% |
| 20 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | 4 | 17% |
| 21 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | 4 | 14% |
| 22 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | 3 | 6% |
| 23 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | 3 | 13% |
| 24 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | 3 | 17% |
| 25 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | 3 | 14% |
| 26 | White-jawed jumping spider Hentzia mitrata | 3 | 25% |
| 27 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | 2 | 7% |
| 28 | Boreal combfoot Steatoda borealis | 2 | 29% |
| 29 | Dysdera crocata | 2 | 12% |
| 30 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | 2 | 8% |
| 31 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | 2 | 10% |
| 32 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | 2 | 14% |
| 33 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | 2 | 8% |
| 34 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | 2 | 3% |
| 35 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | 2 | 12% |
| 36 | Barn funnel weaver Tegenaria domestica | 1 | 14% |
| 37 | Bowl and doily spider Frontinella pyramitela | 1 | 25% |
| 38 | Broad-faced sac spider Trachelas tranquillus | 1 | 14% |
| 39 | Openfield orbweaver Araneus pratensis | 1 | 50% |
| 40 | Peppered jumper Pelegrina galathea | 1 | 9% |
| 41 | American green crab spider Misumessus oblongus | — | — |
| 42 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | — | — |
| 43 | Common white-cheeked jumping spider Pelegrina proterva | — | — |
| 44 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | — | — |
| 45 | Hammerjawed jumper Zygoballus rufipes | — | — |
| 46 | Striped lynx spider Oxyopes salticus | — | — |
| 47 | Tuberculated crab spider Tmarus angulatus | — | — |
When are spiders out in Dane County?
Observation records of spiders in Dane County run mostly March through October, peaking in August with 24% of them, the same peak as Wisconsin as a whole.
What stands out in Dane County
Species for which Dane County holds a large share of all Wisconsin records: the familiar jumping spider, 73% (44 of 60); the furrow orbweaver, 42% (18 of 43); the triangulate bud spider, 41% (15 of 37); the Asian wall jumper, 38% (23 of 60); the common candy-striped spider, 33% (10 of 30); the parson spider, 32% (11 of 34); the whitebanded crab spider, 31% (10 of 32); the zebra spider, 30% (37 of 123).
Common in Wisconsin, not on the Dane County list
Among the snakes most recorded across Wisconsin, these do not reach the county list: the timber rattlesnake (46 statewide), the smooth green snake (27 statewide), the eastern hog-nosed snake (25 statewide), the Butler's garter snake (22 statewide) and the gopher snake (15 statewide). Few records here can mean the species is rare in the county, or that few people have looked.
Harmless lookalikes in Dane County
Copperheads are not on the Wisconsin list, but GBIF holds 1 copperhead record of any license in Wisconsin (eastern copperhead 1): treat any snake like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the northern water snake and the eastern milksnake. No cottonmouths reach the county list, and GBIF holds no cottonmouth record for Wisconsin under any license, so one reported here is most likely a harmless lookalike: the northern water snake. No rattlesnakes reach the county list, but the timber rattlesnake and the eastern massasauga are on the Wisconsin list: treat any snake like them as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the eastern fox snake. No coral snakes reach the county list, and GBIF holds no coral snake record for Wisconsin 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 is on the Wisconsin list: treat any spider like it as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the triangulate bud spider and the boreal combfoot. Recluse spiders are not on the Wisconsin list, but GBIF holds 2 recluse spider records of any license in Wisconsin (brown recluse 2): treat any spider like this as venomous until identified. Harmless species often taken for them here: the longbodied cellar spider.
Dane County among Wisconsin counties
By licensed snake records Dane County ranks 4th of 66 Wisconsin counties with any.
Other Wisconsin counties with their own page: Vilas County.
The whole state: venomous species in Wisconsin, all snakes, all spiders.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.