Venomous spiders in North Carolina

Venomous spiders living in North Carolina

2species, plus 1 with rare records

Black widow, 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 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: 30 counties so far. Blank does not mean absent.

Active months

Open records of venomous spiders in North Carolina by month; most fall in April to July, September.

Rare records

Rare records Brown recluse 1 open record, latest 2022

Harmless spiders people mistake for them

Black Widow vs False Widow False widow: harmless

Quick answers

Questions

How many venomous spiders are in North Carolina?

2 species live in the state: Black widow and Brown widow.

Which venomous spiders in North Carolina are dangerous?

Black widow: bites or stings need medical care.

When are venomous spiders most active in North Carolina?

Most open records fall in April to July, September.

Which harmless spiders get mistaken for venomous ones in North Carolina?

False widow. See the side-by-side comparisons below.