Are Joro spiders dangerous? Arachnids will colonize ENTIRE American east coast in spring: Experts
Researchers claim that Joro spiders will colonize the entire American east coast this spring. These spiders which are the size of a child's palm, and can fly up to 100 miles by turning their webs into parachutes, are rapidly spreading in Georgia from East Asia, and they have the potential to colonize the entire region.
In 2021, the Joro spider's golden web took over yards all over northern Georgia, unnerving some residents. The spider was also spotted in South Carolina, and entomologists expected it to spread throughout the Southeast. A new study suggests it could spread even farther than that.
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Researchers informed that as these creatures use a unique technique, which scientists refer to as "ballooning to fly", they rely on a thread of silk made out of their web to parachute from place to place through the wind. They can potentially travel between 50 and 100 miles using this method. Although experts agree that the number of Joro spiders has increased drastically this year, they are also not clear about why they are so abundant this particular year.
In a statement, Benjamin Frick, co-author of the University of Georgia's study on the spiders, said, "The potential for these spiders to be spread through people's movements is very high."
What are Joro spiders?
The Joro, also known as the trichonephila clavata, is part of a group of spiders known as orb weavers for their highly organized, and wheel-shaped webs. Common in Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan, Joro females have colorful yellow, blue and red markings on their bodies. They can measure three inches (8 cm) in length when their legs are fully extended.
Male Joros are much plainer and they only have a brown body. It's not clear exactly how and when the first Joro spider arrived in the US, although they most likely made their way to North America by tagging along on shipping containers, according to EarthSky.
According to research done by the University of Georgia, the Joro spiders appear better suited to colder temperatures than other spider species as it has about double the metabolism of a golden silk spider, a 77 per cent higher heart rate, and can survive a brief freeze that kills off its relatives. The researchers also noted that Joros are found in Japan, which has a similar climate to the US.
Meanwhile, the impact of these spiders on native species and the environment is still being looked into, though some researchers believe they are benign. Joro spiders are venomous but experts say they are not a threat to humans or dogs and cats, and won't bite them unless they feel very threatened. The lifecycle of Joro spiders usually ends by late autumn or early winter and the next generation emerges in spring.