Venomous animals in Illinois

Venomous species living here
74 venomous snakes, 2 venomous spiders, 1 scorpion

The ones that need the most respect: cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake. A bite from any of them is a medical emergency.

Dangerous: 2Medically significant: 4Painful, rarely serious: 1
  • 2 dangerous
  • 4 medically significant
  • 1 painful, rarely serious
Venomous snakes
4
Venomous spiders
2
Scorpions
1
Centipedes
0
Open records
1,632
Counties with any record
66

Where they turn up in Illinois

Saline: Black widow, Brown recluseHamilton: Brown recluseDeKalb: Brown recluseMarshall: Brown recluseRichland: Brown recluseLogan: Eastern massasaugaEffingham: Black widow, Brown recluseKnox: Brown recluseLaSalle: Black widow, Striped bark scorpionTazewell: Brown recluseChristian: Brown recluseJefferson: Brown recluseMarion: Brown recluseMacoupin: Brown recluseWayne: Brown recluseSt. Clair: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnakeJasper: Brown recluseCumberland: Black widowBond: Brown recluseEdgar: Eastern massasaugaJo Daviess: Black widowFulton: CopperheadPike: Black widowMason: Black widow, Brown recluse, Eastern massasaugaLawrence: Black widowMcHenry: Black widow, Brown recluseKane: Brown recluseDouglas: Brown recluseJersey: Black widow, Copperhead, Timber rattlesnakeMassac: Brown recluse, CottonmouthMercer: Eastern massasaugaWabash: CopperheadFranklin: Black widow, Brown recluseGallatin: Black widow, Brown recluseEdwards: Brown recluseWarren: Brown recluseBrown: Brown recluseMadison: Black widow, Brown recluse, Eastern massasaugaUnion: Black widow, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Timber rattlesnakePope: Black widow, Brown recluse, CottonmouthShelby: Brown recluseCook: Black widow, Brown recluse, Eastern massasauga, Striped bark scorpionPulaski: Brown recluse, CottonmouthClay: Black widow, Brown recluseVermilion: Brown recluseMonroe: Black widow, Brown recluse, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Striped bark scorpionWilliamson: Black widow, Brown recluse, Copperhead, CottonmouthAdams: Brown recluse, Eastern massasauga, Timber rattlesnakeAlexander: Black widow, Brown recluse, CopperheadWill: Striped bark scorpionRandolph: Brown recluse, Copperhead, Striped bark scorpion, Timber rattlesnakeLake: Brown recluse, Eastern massasaugaWashington: Brown recluseCrawford: Brown recluseCalhoun: Brown recluseChampaign: Black widow, Brown recluseClinton: Brown recluseWhiteside: Brown recluseWhite: Brown recluseSangamon: Black widow, Brown recluseJohnson: Black widow, Brown recluse, CottonmouthPeoria: Black widow, Brown recluseJackson: Black widow, Brown recluse, Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Timber rattlesnakeColes: Brown reclusePerry: Brown recluseDuPage: Black widow, Brown recluse
Number of venomous species with open GBIF records in each county. Blank counties often mean nobody has posted a record yet, not that nothing lives there.

Venomous snakes in Illinois

Venomous snakes in Illinois: map, photos and look-alikes

Venomous spiders in Illinois

Venomous spiders in Illinois: map, photos and look-alikes

Scorpions in Illinois

Scorpions in Illinois: map, photos and look-alikes

When they are out

Jan: 9 records (spider)JanFeb: 5 records (spider)Feb: 1 records (scorpion)FebMar: 29 records (venomous snake)Mar: 3 records (spider)Mar: 1 records (scorpion)MarApr: 65 records (venomous snake)Apr: 14 records (spider)Apr: 3 records (scorpion)AprMay: 19 records (venomous snake)May: 27 records (spider)May: 7 records (scorpion)MayJun: 3 records (venomous snake)Jun: 55 records (spider)Jun: 16 records (scorpion)JunJul: 7 records (venomous snake)Jul: 57 records (spider)Jul: 3 records (scorpion)JulAug: 10 records (venomous snake)Aug: 55 records (spider)AugSep: 50 records (venomous snake)Sep: 53 records (spider)Sep: 1 records (scorpion)SepOct: 173 records (venomous snake)Oct: 11 records (spider)Oct: 2 records (scorpion)OctNov: 6 records (spider)NovDec: 1 records (venomous snake)Dec: 5 records (spider)Dec
Open records by month; most fall in April, June, September to October. People record animals when they are outdoors too, so winter looks quieter than it may be.

Recorded, but not living here

A rare record means someone found or reported the animal once or a few times, but there is no known population. Many are strays, pets or hitchhikers in cargo.

Harmless look-alikes in Illinois

Quick answers for Illinois

Questions

How many venomous snakes live in Illinois?

4 species: Cottonmouth, Timber rattlesnake, Copperhead and Eastern massasauga.

Are there brown recluse spiders in Illinois?

Yes. The brown recluse lives in Illinois. Open records come from 53 counties.

Are there scorpions in Illinois?

Yes: Striped bark scorpion.

When are venomous animals most active in Illinois?

Most open records from Illinois fall in April, June, September to October. Records follow when people are outdoors too, so treat this as a guide, not a rule.

What should I do after a bite or sting?

Call 911 for any venomous snakebite or a severe reaction. For spider bites and scorpion stings, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, free and open 24/7.

Neighboring states