The US north-east is bracing for yet another pest invasion – this time, giant venomous spiders – as scientists warn that the gag-inducing arachnids are set to advance this summer.
The joro spider, an invasive species from east Asia, will be making a larger appearance in New York, New Jersey and other eastern US states as the summer season heats up.
The joro spider measures 4in long and has legs as long as 8in (about the size of a human hand). The females are known for their bright yellow bodies, while the males tend to be smaller and brown.
The spider has been in the US for at least a decade, first appearing in Georgia after likely arriving to the US in a shipping container, the Washington Post reported.
In 2022, scientists warned that the joro spider would likely be making an appearance on the east coast of the US.
But a recent peer-reviewed study from David Coyle, a scientist and assistant professor at Clemson University, found that the giant spiders are “here to stay” and will be able to “inhabit most of the eastern US” this summer.
“Barring some unforeseen circumstance, we expect the range of these [spiders] to continue expanding, likely to the north, and we’ve already seen that with some populations in Maryland,” said Coyle in the study.
Unlike other spider species, joro spiders are adapted to the east coast’s climates, which are similar to Japan, where they predominantly hail from.
Joro spiders are also comfortable with urban environments, according to a University of Georgia (UGA) study in February. The giant spiders are unfettered by busy roads, meaning they will likely continue to spread and populate cities.
“It looks like joro spiders are not going to shy away from building a web under a stoplight or an area where you wouldn’t imagine a spider to be,” said Alexa Schultz, co-author of the study and a third-year ecology student at UGA, in the study’s news release.
The silver lining is that joro spiders are not dangerous to humans or pets.
In fact, despite their frightening exterior, the arachnids are reportedly shy and prefer to build their webs outside versus in a person’s home, NBC New York reported.
Humans that have been bitten by joro spiders, a rare occurrence, reported mild symptoms, said Richard Hoebeke, an associate curator at UGA’s collection of arthropods, to the Post in 2022.
One bite reportedly caused swelling, a slight fever and redness, which could have been due to an allergic reaction.
