Northern black widow
- Where in New Hampshire
- Northern New England; rarely seen Northern New England Poison Center
What the sources say
Venom: “Venomous spiders found in the United States include the black widow and the brown recluse.” (CDC/NIOSH)
New Hampshire Spiders: Pictures, ID & Which Bite
Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
On this page
This page lists 1 spider. 1 is venomous by official accounts.
Not every species: no complete official list of New Hampshire spiders exists, so this page covers the ones state and Extension sources name. How lists are built.
Which spiders can hurt you
Official sources single out these spiders in New Hampshire, in their own words:
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Black widow (northern and southern)
Venomous spider with a poisonous bite, per the poison center. “The black widow is a type of spider with a poisonous bite.” Northern New England Poison Center
Not native here
Official sources say the southern black widow and the brown recluse are not native to New Hampshire or not found there. They are not counted on this page; each entry quotes the source.
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Southern black widow
Does not live here. “Southern black widows do not live in Northern New England, but will occasionally come into the region from other parts of the country, often in produce, such as grapes.” Northern New England Poison Center
It is venomous, per CDC/NIOSH. If you find one, do not touch it.
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Brown recluse
Does not live here. “Brown recluse spiders do not live in Northern New England and it is unusual to find one here.” Northern New England Poison Center
It is venomous, per CDC/NIOSH. If you find one, do not touch it.
The one spider on the list
Venomous species first, then A to Z. Do not handle them.
When spiders are active in New Hampshire
Records of spiders in New Hampshire peak in June to August. They show when people record spiders, not how many there are (about month bars).
If you are bitten or stung
Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.
How to report
NH Fish and Game Wildlife Division (603) 271-2461; Law Enforcement (603) 271-3361. Invasive insects: NHBugs reporting form (nhbugs.org/reporting-form). Stranded marine animals: Seacoast Science Center (603) 997-9448 or the Northeast hotline (866) 755-6622. Sharks: Northeast Shark Hotline (401) 859-1043. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
What official sources say
Are there black widows in New Hampshire?
Rarely. The poison center says the northern black widow may live in the region but is rarely seen; southern black widows arrive occasionally in produce. Northern New England Poison Center
“…may live in our region but is rarely seen”
Are there brown recluse spiders in New Hampshire?
No. The poison center says brown recluses do not live in Northern New England, though one could be carried in. Northern New England Poison Center
“Brown recluse spiders do not live in Northern New England and it is unusual to find one here.”
About this list
The species list comes from CDC/NIOSH Venomous Spiders; Northern New England Poison Center: Black Widow, Brown Recluse, Is that snake or spider poisonous? (CDC/NIOSH, NIOSH: Internet Archive capture 2026-10-06; poison center black widow page last updated May 2, 2016). 1 more entry comes from other official sources named on each card.
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
Sources
- Snakes of NH (old site page). New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. archived copy, captured August 1, 2023; checked November 3, 2026.
- Venomous Spiders. CDC/NIOSH. archived copy, captured October 6, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“Venomous spiders found in the United States include the black widow and the brown recluse.”
- Black Widow: Poisons A to Z. Northern New England Poison Center. updated May 2, 2016; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (3)
“The black widow is a type of spider with a poisonous bite.”
“Southern black widows do not live in Northern New England, but will occasionally come into the region from other parts of the country, often in produce, such as grapes.”
“…may live in our region but is rarely seen”
- Brown Recluse: Poisons A to Z. Northern New England Poison Center. updated March 4, 2016; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“Brown recluse spiders do not live in Northern New England and it is unusual to find one here.”
- Wildlife FAQs. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. archived copy, captured August 1, 2023; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“Wildlife Division - (603) 271-2461”
- GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.