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This Is How Many Types of Highly Venomous Spiders Are in Your State

These potentially dangerous eight-legged critters may just be living outside your backdoor.

Black Widow Spider
Shutterstock
Paul Thompson
By Paul ThompsonAug 03, 2021
Paul Thompson
See Full Bio

Arachnophobia—or the extreme or irrational fear of spiders—is one of the most common phobias in the United States and around the world. In fact, researchers used results from the National Comorbidity Survey to estimate a prevalence rate of 3.5 percent of arachnophobia among the general population in the U.S. And while it's true that the vast majority of spiders in our country pose little to no serious physical threat to humans, there is still a variety of highly venomous spiders in nearly every state in the country.

Best Life pored over multiple sources in order to determine the highly venomous spiders in every U.S. state, using SpiderIdentifications.com as our main resource for the following list, and verifying the information with at least one other credible source wherever possible, including those from each state's health department. However, it is important to keep in mind that nearly all spiders are technically venomous to some degree, but we only included species that are widely considered to be the biggest threats. With that said, read on to discover how many highly venomous spiders live in your state and around the country.

RELATED: This Is How Many Types of Venomous Snakes Are in Your State.

Alabama

river with boats and boathouses in alabamaJon Lovette / Alamy
  1. Southern Black Widow
  2. Northern Black Widow
  3. Brown Widow
  4. Brown Recluse
  5. Chilean Recluse
  6. Mediterranean Recluse

Alaska

glaciers, lake, and tress in Chugach, AlaskaShutterstock

There are no highly venomous spiders native to the state of Alaska.

Arizona

landscape photo of Phoenix, Arizona at sunsetShutterstock
  1. Arizona Brown Spider
  2. Southern Black Widow

Arkansas

green trees and Hamilton Lake at sunset in Garland County, ArkansasShutterstock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Southern Black Widow

California

Beach in Northern CaliforniaShutterstock
  1. Western Black Widow
  2. Brown Widow
  3. Chilean Recluse
  4. Desert Recluse
  5. Yellow Sac Spider

RELATED: If You Live in These States, Prepare for More of This Deadly Spider, Experts Say.

Colorado

trees reflecting in a pond in Aurora, ColoradoiStock
  1. Western Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse
  3. Yellow Sac Spider

Connecticut

Lynde Point Lighthouse, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, USAiStock
  1. Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

Delaware

The aerial view of the beach town, fishing port and waterfront residential homes along the canal Lewes DelawareShutterstock
  1. Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

Florida

The shoreline and beach of Boca Chita in Biscayne National Park FloridaiStock
  1. Southern Black Widow
  2. Northern Black Widow
  3. Red Widow
  4. Brown Widow
  5. Brown Recluse

RELATED: If You See This Rare Venomous Spider, Keep Your Distance.

Georgia

Alpharetta, GeorgiaShutterstock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Brown Widow
  3. Northern Black Widow
  4. Southern Black Widow
  5. False Black Widow

Hawaii

landscape photo of the coastline of Na Pali Coast and mountain in Kauai, HawaiiiStock
  1. Brown Widow
  2. Southern Black Widow

Idaho

the Sawtooth Mountain Range and lake in Stanley, IdahoiStock
  1. Western Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse
  3. Yellow Sac Spider

Illinois

landscape photo of flowers and a field in Naperville, Illinois at sunsetiStock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

Indiana

The amphitheatre and Phlips Pond at Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve in Chesterton IndianaShutterstock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Southern Black Widow

Iowa

marion iowaShutterstock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Southern Black Widow

Kansas

Cityscape photo of Overland Park, KansasTriggerPhoto / Shutterstock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Western Black Widow
  3. Southern Black Widow
  4. Northern Black Widow

Kentucky

Just outside Nicholasville, KentuckyRogerDownes / Shutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Southern Black Widow
  3. Brown Recluse

Louisiana

A wooden boardwalk stretching into he Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Monroe, LouisianaBonita R. Cheshier/Shutterstock
  1. Brown Widow
  2. Northern Black Widow
  3. Southern Black Widow
  4. Brown Recluse

Maine

cityscape photos of Portland, MaineShutterstock

There are no highly venomous spiders native to the state of Maine.

Maryland

Bethesda Maryland HomeShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Southern Black Widow
  3. Brown Recluse

Massachusetts

lighthouse, townhouse, and empty road in Cape Cod, MassachusettsShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow

Michigan

cityscape photo of Kalamazoo, Michigan in the afternoonShutterstock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Northern Black Widow

RELATED: For more interesting info on spiders and other creepy critters delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. 

Minnesota

Edina MinnesotaShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse
  3. Yellow Sac Spider

Mississippi

jackson mississippi, capital, most common street namesiStock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Southern Black Widow

Missouri

green fields by the Missouri River in Glasgow, MissouriiStock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Southern Black Widow
  3. Brown Recluse

Montana

MontanaShutterstock
  1. Black Widow

Nebraska

Downtown Omaha Nebraska Drone PhotoiStock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Western Black Widow
  3. Southern Black Widow

Nevada

historic buildings in the lonely city of Eureka NevadaShutterstock
  1. Desert Recluse
  2. Brown Widow
  3. Western Black Widow

New Hampshire

Etna New HampshireShutterstock
  1. Brown Recluse
  2. Black Widow
  3. Broad-Face Sac Spider

New Jersey

New Jersey, located on Upper New York Bay in Jersey City, opposite both Liberty Island and Ellis Island.iStock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse
  3. Yellow Sac Spider

New Mexico

cityscape photo of buildings and trees in Albuquerque, New MexicoShutterstock
  1. Western Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

New York

Rochester New YorkShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Southern Black Widow
  3. Brown Recluse

North Carolina

Aerial over the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the spring.iStock
  1. Southern Black Widow
  2. Northern Black Widow
  3. Brown Recluse
  4. False Black Widow
  5. Yellow Sac Spider

North Dakota

north dakota, bridge, waterCJ Cagney / Shutterstock
  1. Western Black Widow

Ohio

OhioShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Southern Black Widow
  3. Brown Recluse
  4. Mediterranean Recluse
  5. Yellow Sac Spider
  6. False Black Widow

Oklahoma

The skyline of Oklahoma City, OklahomaShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Southern Black Widow
  3. Brown Recluse

Oregon

landscape photo of Mt. Bachelor reflecting in Todd Lake in Bend, Oregon at duskiStock
  1. Western Black Widow

Pennsylvania

West Chester PennsylvaniaShutterstock
  1. Southern Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

Rhode Island

flowers and beach in Newport, Rhode IslandShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

South Carolina

landscape photo of a garden in Charleston, South CarolinaShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Southern Black Widow
  3. Brown Widow
  4. Brown Recluse

South Dakota

The skyline of Rapid City, South DakotaShutterstock
  1. Western Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

Tennessee

aerial view of gatlinburg tennessee affordable vacationsShutterstock
  1. Southern Black Widow
  2. Northern Black Widow
  3. Brown Recluse

Texas

The Woodlands, TexasShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Western Black Widow
  3. Southern Black Widow
  4. Brown Recluse
  5. Texas Recluse

RELATED: If You Live in These States, Prepare to See More Tarantulas.

Utah

Salt Lake City, UtahShutterstock
  1. Black Widow
  2. Desert Recluse
  3. Yellow Sac Spider

Vermont

south burlington vermont mountainscapeShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow

Virginia

landscape photo of Buchanan, VirginiaShutterstock
  1. Southern Black Widow
  2. Northern Black Widow

Washington

cityscape photo of downtown Spokane, WashingtoniStock
  1. Black Widow
  2. Yellow Sac Spider

West Virginia

buildings and church in the town of Harper's Ferry, West VirginiaShutterstock
  1. Southern Black Widow

Wisconsin

landscape photo of Baraboo, WisconsinShutterstock
  1. Northern Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

Wyoming

Wyoming houseShutterstock
  1. Western Black Widow
  2. Brown Recluse

RELATED: This Is When You're Most Likely to Encounter a Snake, Experts Say.

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