Venomous spiders in Georgia

Venomous spiders living in Georgia

3species

Black widow, Brown recluse, Brown widow.

How to recognize them

Black widow Latrodectus mactans, L. variolus, L. hesperus

Shiny black female with a round abdomen
Red hourglass or two red marks under the abdomen
Messy, strong web low to the ground, often in garages, wood piles and water meters

Brown recluse Loxosceles reclusa

Dark violin shape on the back, neck of the violin points to the rear
Six eyes in three pairs (most spiders have eight)
Plain tan abdomen and legs with no bands or spines

Brown widow Latrodectus geometricus

Tan to dark brown female with an orange hourglass
Spiky round egg sacs that look like burrs
Webs under patio chairs, mailboxes and eaves

Almost all spiders have venom, but very few can hurt people. We list the ones with medically significant bites plus a few that people often worry about.

Counties with records

None recorded
1 species
2
3 to 4
5 or more

Venomous spiders with open GBIF records, by county: 38 counties so far. Blank does not mean absent.

Active months

Open records of venomous spiders in Georgia by month; most fall in April, June, August to October.

Harmless spiders people mistake for them

Brown Recluse vs Wolf Spider Wolf spider: harmless
Black Widow vs False Widow False widow: harmless
Brown Recluse vs Cellar Spider Cellar spider: harmless
Brown Recluse vs Southern House Spider Southern house spider: harmless

Quick answers

Questions

How many venomous spiders are in Georgia?

3 species live in the state: Black widow, Brown recluse and Brown widow.

Which venomous spiders in Georgia are dangerous?

Black widow and Brown recluse: bites or stings need medical care.

When are venomous spiders most active in Georgia?

Most open records fall in April, June, August to October.

Which harmless spiders get mistaken for venomous ones in Georgia?

Wolf spider, False widow, Cellar spider and Southern house spider. See the side-by-side comparisons below.