Giant, venomous yellow spiders are making their way up the East Coast, with sightings expected in New Jersey, New York, and southern Canada.

The Joro spider, an invasive species from East Asia, was first identified in Georgia in 2013. Initially confined to the Southeast, experts now predict these spiders will move north due to their adaptability to colder climates.

Characterized by their bright yellow and black coloring, female Joro spiders have bodies about the size of a paperclip and legs that can span up to 4 inches. Male Joro spiders are smaller and brown. They are orb weavers, creating large, circular webs.

Recently, Joro spiders have garnered attention on social media, but experts assure they pose little threat to humans. While nearly all spiders are venomous, Gustavo Hormiga, a biology professor at George Washington University, noted that Joro spider bites are akin to bee stings. Most individuals will not experience severe reactions.


Hormiga said, describing the spiders as
Their webs, however, can be quite large. Individual webs can reach up to 3 feet wide, and clusters of webs, often created by several female spiders, can span 10 feet.

Andy Davis, a research scientist at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia, noted that in East Asia, larger relatives of the Joro spider are sometimes fried and sold as snacks. He added that Joro spiders can survive in diverse environments, from gas station pumps to forest trees.

Davis said.

Davis also tested the spider's response to stress by puffing air at it, noting that the Joro spider would freeze for an hour, unlike other animals that might react more vigorously.

he explained.

David Nelsen, an arachnologist and biology professor at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, emphasized that while their movement is random, their spread to the Northeast is anticipated.



Nelsen said, though he believes

There have been misconceptions about these spiders taking flight. Nelsen clarified that while adult Joro spiders do not fly, baby spiders can balloon, using wind and electromagnetic currents to travel.

Nelsen said.

Joro spiders can also hitch rides on cars, unknowingly transported by drivers to new locations.

Despite being harmless to humans, Joro spiders can impact local ecosystems. Nelsen's research indicates that their presence may lead to a decrease in native spider populations.

Nelsen explained.

However, more research is needed to determine if Joro spiders are directly responsible for these declines. For now, Hormiga stated that the spiders pose no scientifically documented problems but emphasized that it will take years to understand their long-term effects.
Credit: CTV