Spiders the size of a human hand are spreading throughout the US
The Joro spider has been spotted in at least eight states since 2021.
Invasive Joro spider likely to invade much of the East Coast
New research from the University of Georgia suggests the invasive arachnids could start crawling through most of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S.
The frightening, brightly-colored large spiders are back, and experts say they are spreading rapidly across the U.S.
This eight-legged creepy species, known as the Joro spider, can grow as large as a human hand and has been spotted in at least eight states since 2021, including Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
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"Joro spiders will likely continue to spread in the U.S., but they aren't the ‘flying venomous spider invasion’ that’s been sensationalized in the media," Virginia Tech entomologist Theresa Dellinger said in a press release.
A Joro spider at 59 Mount Vernon st. on September 25. (By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald / Getty Images)
Researchers say the spider is spreading through a process called "ballooning," in which the young Joro spiders release a thread of silk that can be captured by the wind, allowing them to be lifted to new locations.
This process allows them to travel for relatively long distances, similar to other spider species. Over time, they may even reach Canada.
But fully grown Joro spiders are unable to travel like this due to their size.
A Joro spider at 59 Mount Vernon St. on September 25. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald / Getty Images)
In one study by the University of Georgia, researchers found that Joro spiders are so well-equipped to spread due to their high metabolism and heart rate. This causes them to be able to tolerate colder temperatures in the North.
"Just by looking at that, it looks like the Joros could probably survive throughout most of the Eastern Seaboard here, which is pretty sobering," Andy Davis, a research scientist at the University of Georgia, said in UGA Today.
In a newer study that was published in the Arthropoda journal, scientists at the University of Georgia discovered that the insect can also tolerate loud vibrations and noises seen in urban settings. Unlike other animals, they are able to settle in stressful environments.
"These Joro webs are everywhere in the fall, including right next to busy roads, and the spiders seem to be able to make a living there," Davis said. "For some reason, these spiders seem urban tolerant."
East Asian Joro spider likely to spread beyond Georgia
Joro spiders can survive better in a brief freeze, suggesting they can exist in a colder climatic region than the Southeast.
Experts said that Joro spiders are native to Asia and can be found in Japan, Korea, China, Indochina and Nepal. They were first reported in the U.S. in 2014, and experts believe they likely arrived through materials imported from East Asia.
According to Joro Watch, the insects are orb-weavers and are typically seen from September to October, when they build large webs ahead of laying their eggs. Egg sacs are usually produced between mid-October and November and can contain between 400 and 500 eggs.
A Joro spider at 59 Mount Vernon St. on September 25. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald / Getty Images)
Male and female Joro spiders differ significantly in appearance and size. Adult males grow to about 0.25 inches in length and are brown, while females can reach up to 1.25 inches and are bright yellow.
"They are not aggressive and seem to be quite shy despite their size," Dellinger said.
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Although this species may appear terrifying, experts stress that they do not pose a threat to humans.
Like all spiders, the Joro spiders do have venom, but they are not in the same category as a Black Widow or Brown Recluse. At worst, a bite could cause an allergic reaction.
A Joro spider at 59 Mount Vernon St. on September 25. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald / Getty Images)
"This spider is not going to harm people, and it’s only going to hurt you if you try to pick it up," Davis told FOX News. "It is one of the shyest spider species we know of."
What frightens scientists about this species is their invasive tendencies. Experts worry that Joro spiders may damage crops, trees and push out native species.
"There’s so much ecological damage being done all over the world, for so many reasons, mostly because of humans," Davis said. "This to me is just one more example of mankind's influence on the environment."