Giant, parachuting spiders taking over the East Coast sounds like something out a science-fiction novel. Joro spiders, an invasive species, are in fact real. They’ve been spotted as far south as Florida and Georgia and now Pennsylvania. Here’s what you need to know about these arachnids.
Joro Spiders in Philly?
Not quite, but they’re making their way. In fact, earlier this year, experts predicted these giant, parachuting spiders could invade most of the East Coast. To date, they have been spotted in states such as Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Maryland, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. As of October 2022, the species’ range spanned at least 120,000 square kilometers across the East Coast.
If your skin isn’t crawling yet, we have more news for.
As of September 5th, 2024 a group of a half dozen or so colorful arachnids were spotted in a the backyard of home in Warminster, Pennsylvania.
Warminster, Pennsylvania is approximately 1 hr 8 min (31.9 mi) outside of Philly via I-76 W and I-276 E.
What are Joro Spiders?
Joro spiders are an invasive species native to East Asia. However, these yellow and black spiders have been in Georgia for close to a decade. There bodies can grow up to 1 inch in length and have legs that can span up to 4 inches.
Female Joro spiders are brightly colored whereas male Joro spiders are brown.
Adding to nightmares, these spiders can grow up to the size of a human hand!
Important to note, Joro spiders can’t fly. However, they employ a process called “ballooning” or parachuting which enables them to spread easier. The process involves spiders parachuting “through the air by releasing gossamer threads to catch the wind and go airborne, at the mercy of air currents and electric fields, although human-mediated transport cannot be discounted,” explained scientist David Coyle, assistant professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University.
In a peer-reviewed study published in the fall of 2023, Coyle warns they’re “here to stay.”
Are they dangerous?
Luckily for all of us, they’re relatively harmless to humans and animals. According to a study from the University of Georgia published in 2023, Joro spiders “aren’t scary, they’re shy.” In fact, Joros won’t bite unless cornered. And even if you did manage to somehow annoy a Joro into biting you, its fangs likely wouldn’t be large enough to pierce your skin.
If you’re interested in tracking this spread of Joro spiders in our area, visit Jorowatch –yes it’s an actually website!