The palm-size Joro spider that has come from the Far East and invaded Georgia is already well known to residents of the Southern United States. Experts, on the other hand, warn that the spiders – which can fly more than one hundred miles by forming a parachute out of their webs – are expected to spread into the Eastern United States in the coming months and months throughout spring and summer.
Golden spiders from Japan flooded throughout Georgia in 2021, and residents there noticed their golden web. The entomologist now claims that the spider has been observed in South Carolina and is likely to spread throughout the Eastern United States. However, the spider may not be limited to warm regions. Because it has a robust metabolism, it might be able to withstand the hotter temperatures of the American Northeast, which may imply that individuals as far north as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York will have to fight these enormous spiders that are said to be the size of a toddler’s palm.
The spider’s heartbeat is quicker than that of its relatives, according to a study published last month by researchers at the University of Georgia. The study also found that the spider does not perish in a breeze that would kill other spiders.
Joro spiders are native to Japan, which has a climate similar to the United States.
“Just by looking at that, it looks like the Joros could probably survive throughout most of the Eastern seaboard here, which is pretty sobering,” University of Georgia study co-author Andy Davis stated.
Joro spiders are identified by the fact that they spin extremely well-organized and shaped wheels of web. These spiders are quite prevalent in Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan. The females have a bright yellow and red pattern on their black bodies. Females can grow to be three inches long. Males have a simpler appearance with a brown body.
“The potential for these spiders to be spread through people’s movements is very high,” said Benjamin Frick, co-author of the University of Georgia’s study on the spiders. “Anecdotally, right before we published this study, we got a report from a grad student at UGA [the University of Georgia] who had accidentally transported one of these to Oklahoma.”
Joro spiders, on the other hand, are not poisonous to people. They eat insects that you don’t want around, such as flies, mosquitoes, and stink bugs.
“There’s really no reason to go around actively squishing them,” Frick said. “Humans are at the root of their invasion. Don’t blame the Joro spider.”
What are your thoughts on this invasive spider species that uses web parachutes to fly more than 100 miles?
