The Invasive Joro Spider May Be Taking Over the East Coast This Year

A new species of spider is crawling its way over to the East Coast, and I am less than thrilled about it.

Scientists have been busy tracking the whereabouts of the Joro Spider, an invasive arachnid originally from Japan, that has recently taken over much of Georgia, and it appears the East Coast is the spider’s next target.

Are they in Massachusetts?

At this time, MassWildlife has not reported any sightings of the spider, but I have a feeling it’s only a matter of time before neighbors are posting their first interaction with these spiders, which can get up to 4 inches in diameter.

WCVB reported that University of Georgia scientists have released a study saying the six-legged residents are about to become even more prolific in Georgia and spread up and down the entire East Coast.

The scientists are saying it will continue to spread because of its ability to survive the cold, and if there is one thing Massachusetts has, it’s cold temperatures.

Are Joro spiders dangerous?

The good news is that Joro spiders are actually helpful creatures. They like to feed on mosquitos and insects, and while they are large, their mouths are small, making their bite harmless.

Arrow Exterminators said they are deemed not aggressive and compared their bite to a bee sting.

So, what’s the bad news…

The bad news is that they are incredibly invasive. AZ Animals said, “the orb-shaped webs tend to take over wherever they are attached,” and can even travel up to 100 miles with their “ballooning technique” by gliding through the air, giving them complete and total freedom to spread their habitat.

For now, Massachusetts is in the clear, but keep an eye out for their large webs to start appearing in late May.