Do You Know the Two Venomous Spiders That Could Be in Maine?

While most of the spiders found in Maine are harmless—though occasionally creepy—there are two species that can cause some problems.

Listen, we get it—like Maine didn’t already give us enough to worry about with brutal winters, disease-carrying ticks, and whatever it is that’s lurking in the woods making weird noises at night. And now you're telling us to watch out for venomous spiders too? Well… not necessarily.

Given that, we want to get ahead of it and point out that the spider species in question are not native to Maine. However, that doesn’t mean they haven’t shown up here before.

According to the University of Maine, although these species aren’t native and are considered ‘unlikely’ to be found in Maine, they acknowledge that these spiders can be transported here—intentionally or not—and have been in the past.

So, with all that in mind, which two spiders are considered ‘medically dangerous’ in the U.S. and have shown up in Maine before?

According to Green Shield Pest Control and Maine.gov, the two spider species considered medically dangerous in the U.S. are the black widow and the brown recluse.

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Black widow and brown recluse spiders are both considered medically significant, but neither is native to Maine, and their presence is usually due to accidental transport.

Black widows may occasionally find their way into the state via shipping crates or cargo from warmer places like Florida, but bites are rarely fatal in healthy adults. Brown recluse spiders are also only found in Maine when brought in on items like furniture or moving boxes, and the state's climate makes it unlikely for them to survive or establish a population.

There you have it: while rare, the two venomous spider species that could be in Maine—and have been in the past—are the black widow and the brown recluse.

Have you ever seen one of these spiders before? We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to join the conversation by messaging us on the app.

Read More: Did You Know That Maine Has an Official State Insect?