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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

    7. 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

      3. Arkansas

      green trees and Hamilton Lake at sunset in Garland County, ArkansasShutterstock

      1. Brown Recluse

      2. Southern Black Widow

        3. California

        Beach in Northern CaliforniaShutterstock

        1. Western Black Widow

        2. Brown Widow

        3. Chilean Recluse

        4. Desert Recluse

        5. Yellow Sac Spider

          6. 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

            4. Connecticut

            Lynde Point Lighthouse, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, USAiStock

            1. Black Widow

            2. Brown Recluse

              3. 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

                3. 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

                  6. 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

                    6. Hawaii

                    landscape photo of the coastline of Na Pali Coast and mountain in Kauai, HawaiiiStock

                    1. Brown Widow

                    2. Southern Black Widow

                      3. Idaho

                      the Sawtooth Mountain Range and lake in Stanley, IdahoiStock

                      1. Western Black Widow

                      2. Brown Recluse

                      3. Yellow Sac Spider

                        4. Illinois

                        landscape photo of flowers and a field in Naperville, Illinois at sunsetiStock

                        1. Northern Black Widow

                        2. Brown Recluse

                          3. Indiana

                          The amphitheatre and Phlips Pond at Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve in Chesterton IndianaShutterstock

                          1. Brown Recluse

                          2. Southern Black Widow

                            3. Iowa

                            marion iowaShutterstock

                            1. Brown Recluse

                            2. Southern Black Widow

                              3. Kansas

                              Cityscape photo of Overland Park, KansasTriggerPhoto / Shutterstock

                              1. Brown Recluse

                              2. Western Black Widow

                              3. Southern Black Widow

                              4. Northern Black Widow

                                5. Kentucky

                                Just outside Nicholasville, KentuckyRogerDownes / Shutterstock

                                1. Northern Black Widow

                                2. Southern Black Widow

                                3. Brown Recluse

                                  4. 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

                                    5. 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

                                      4. Massachusetts

                                      lighthouse, townhouse, and empty road in Cape Cod, MassachusettsShutterstock

                                      1. Northern Black Widow

                                        2. Michigan

                                        cityscape photo of Kalamazoo, Michigan in the afternoonShutterstock

                                        1. Brown Recluse

                                        2. Northern Black Widow

                                          3. 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

                                            4. Mississippi

                                            jackson mississippi, capital, most common street namesiStock

                                            1. Brown Recluse

                                            2. Southern Black Widow

                                              3. Missouri

                                              green fields by the Missouri River in Glasgow, MissouriiStock

                                              1. Northern Black Widow

                                              2. Southern Black Widow

                                              3. Brown Recluse

                                                4. Montana

                                                MontanaShutterstock

                                                1. Black Widow

                                                  2. Nebraska

                                                  Downtown Omaha Nebraska Drone PhotoiStock

                                                  1. Brown Recluse

                                                  2. Western Black Widow

                                                  3. Southern Black Widow

                                                    4. Nevada

                                                    historic buildings in the lonely city of Eureka NevadaShutterstock

                                                    1. Desert Recluse

                                                    2. Brown Widow

                                                    3. Western Black Widow

                                                      4. New Hampshire

                                                      Etna New HampshireShutterstock

                                                      1. Brown Recluse

                                                      2. Black Widow

                                                      3. Broad-Face Sac Spider

                                                        4. 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

                                                          4. New Mexico

                                                          cityscape photo of buildings and trees in Albuquerque, New MexicoShutterstock

                                                          1. Western Black Widow

                                                          2. Brown Recluse

                                                            3. New York

                                                            Rochester New YorkShutterstock

                                                            1. Northern Black Widow

                                                            2. Southern Black Widow

                                                            3. Brown Recluse

                                                              4. 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

                                                                6. North Dakota

                                                                north dakota, bridge, waterCJ Cagney / Shutterstock

                                                                1. Western Black Widow

                                                                  2. Ohio

                                                                  OhioShutterstock

                                                                  1. Northern Black Widow

                                                                  2. Southern Black Widow

                                                                  3. Brown Recluse

                                                                  4. Mediterranean Recluse

                                                                  5. Yellow Sac Spider

                                                                  6. False Black Widow

                                                                    7. Oklahoma

                                                                    The skyline of Oklahoma City, OklahomaShutterstock

                                                                    1. Northern Black Widow

                                                                    2. Southern Black Widow

                                                                    3. Brown Recluse

                                                                      4. Oregon

                                                                      landscape photo of Mt. Bachelor reflecting in Todd Lake in Bend, Oregon at duskiStock

                                                                      1. Western Black Widow

                                                                        2. Pennsylvania

                                                                        West Chester PennsylvaniaShutterstock

                                                                        1. Southern Black Widow

                                                                        2. Brown Recluse

                                                                          3. Rhode Island

                                                                          flowers and beach in Newport, Rhode IslandShutterstock

                                                                          1. Northern Black Widow

                                                                          2. Brown Recluse

                                                                            3. 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

                                                                              5. South Dakota

                                                                              The skyline of Rapid City, South DakotaShutterstock

                                                                              1. Western Black Widow

                                                                              2. Brown Recluse

                                                                                3. Tennessee

                                                                                aerial view of gatlinburg tennessee affordable vacationsShutterstock

                                                                                1. Southern Black Widow

                                                                                2. Northern Black Widow

                                                                                3. Brown Recluse

                                                                                  4. Texas

                                                                                  The Woodlands, TexasShutterstock

                                                                                  1. Northern Black Widow

                                                                                  2. Western Black Widow

                                                                                  3. Southern Black Widow

                                                                                  4. Brown Recluse

                                                                                  5. Texas Recluse

                                                                                    6. 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

                                                                                      4. Vermont

                                                                                      south burlington vermont mountainscapeShutterstock

                                                                                      1. Northern Black Widow

                                                                                        2. Virginia

                                                                                        landscape photo of Buchanan, VirginiaShutterstock

                                                                                        1. Southern Black Widow

                                                                                        2. Northern Black Widow

                                                                                          3. Washington

                                                                                          cityscape photo of downtown Spokane, WashingtoniStock

                                                                                          1. Black Widow

                                                                                          2. Yellow Sac Spider

                                                                                            3. West Virginia

                                                                                            buildings and church in the town of Harper's Ferry, West VirginiaShutterstock

                                                                                            1. Southern Black Widow

                                                                                              2. Wisconsin

                                                                                              landscape photo of Baraboo, WisconsinShutterstock

                                                                                              1. Northern Black Widow

                                                                                              2. Brown Recluse

                                                                                                3. Wyoming

                                                                                                Wyoming houseShutterstock

                                                                                                1. Western Black Widow

                                                                                                2. Brown Recluse

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

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