The massive creatures with yellow and black bodies Known to parachute through the air with their spidery ropes, researchers say they are heading north. And people on the East Coast are sharing pictures of what Invasion of the Joro spider it seems from their own yards.
Joro spiders were first spotted in Georgia in 2014, but experts believe they may have arrived as early as 2010. Since then, they've spread rapidly across the South, with sightings reported in more than half a dozen states . Researchers believe they are bound for the Big Apple and that “it's a matter of when, not if” these arachnids land in New York and New Jersey, but don't worry, they're very shy and will probably freeze for more than an hour if you disturb them, giving them enough time to get away from their four-inch legs.
Here are photos of what people are seeing in the US
Georgia
j_jenkins53 | iNaturalist
Georgia is where Joro spiders, an invasive species from Asia, were first spotted in the United States, but since their discovery, they've boarded human transport and used their silk to parachute through the sky and land far from this origin.
North Carolina
branwhee | iNaturalist
There's nothing much to this spider. Females can reach a leg span of up to 4 inches, nearly the size of an average woman's hand.
South Carolina
anthony296 | iNaturalist
Joro spiders may be big, but their webs are even bigger. One researcher said he has seen webs up to six feet wide, while others have said their webs can be over 10 feet wide.
Tennessee
Tim Lenz/iNaturalist
Most Joro spiders that people have documented appear to be females, which are larger than adult males and more brightly colored, with vivid yellow and gray bodies with yellow bands on their long legs. They are also known to lay 400 to 500 eggs in a single sac, and the spiders emerge around June, according to PennState Extension.
“Balloon spiders can travel tens to hundreds of miles, especially if picked up by strong winds and storms,” PennState says.
West Virginia
Hila Taylor/iNaturalist
Joro spiders have venom, but so far, there is no evidence that they are dangerous to humans or pets. Researchers say their fangs likely wouldn't even be able to pierce skin if given the chance, and when disturbed, they've been known to freeze for over an hour. Clemson University researchers have even noted that this species is among the “shyest” spiders.
