Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
This page lists 1 spider: all from Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University's Venomous Spiders in South Dakota, SDSU Cooperative Extension. 1 is venomous by official accounts.
Not every species: no complete official list of South Dakota spiders exists, so this page covers the ones state and Extension sources name. How lists are built.
Official sources single out these spiders in South Dakota, in their own words:
Venomous. “…two dangerous venomous species of spider-the black widow … are of major medical consequence in the United States.” Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University
Official sources say the brown recluse spider is not native to South Dakota or not found there. It is not counted on this page; each entry quotes the source.
Not reported. “…the brown recluse spider has not been reported in South Dakota.” Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University
It is venomous, per CDC / NIOSH. If you find one, do not touch it.
Venomous species first, then A to Z. Do not handle them.
Latrodectus mactans
Venom: “…two dangerous venomous species of spider-the black widow … are of major medical consequence in the United States.” (Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University)
Habitat: Black widow spiders are found in the outdoors in undergrowth, under stones, in mouths of rodent bur- rows, hollow trees or in protected hollows of all kinds. (Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University)
Records of spiders in South Dakota peak in July to September. They show when people record spiders, not how many there are (about month bars).
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.
SDGFP: [email protected] (hunting/fishing and wildlife questions); report a suspected aquatic invasive species with a photo to [email protected]; report a tick photo to SD DOH via the South Dakota Tick Survey; report wildlife violations at 1.888.OVERBAG. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Yes. An SDSU Extension fact sheet (1968, historic) says the black widow is frequently found in the state. Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University
“…the more familiar black widow spider frequently is found in this state”
The species list comes from Venomous Spiders in South Dakota (FS 421), SDSU Cooperative Extension (Cooperative Extension Service, South Dakota State University (Berndt and Kantack), 1968 (historic, archived)).
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
“…two dangerous venomous species of spider-the black widow … are of major medical consequence in the United States.”
“…the brown recluse spider has not been reported in South Dakota.”
“…the more familiar black widow spider frequently is found in this state”
“Black widows and brown recluses are two types of venomous spiders in the United States.”
“If you catch what you believe is an invasive species, please take a picture of it and send the picture to [email protected].”
