JORO, JORO, JORO
Venomous flying spiders the size of a human hand are about to invade New York
Bad news for arachnophobes living in or planning to visit New York this summer.
Venomous Joro spiders are expected to invade the east coast of the US – and their spread will be hastened by their ability to fly.
The spider species, native to east Asia, first appeared in the US in about 2010 and are most commonly found in Georgia.
But in the years since they’ve continued to spread north, and they’re expected to reach the New York and New Jersey areas in the coming weeks, NJ Pest Control says.
They’ve already been spotted in Maryland, prompting warnings about a potential east coast invasion from pest experts in recent months.
It’s thought they arrived on cargo shipments from Japan. Horrifyingly, they can grow to the size of a human palm and use a unique technique called ‘ballooning’ which helps them fly as they’re carried by the wind.
A study released earlier this year by the University of Georgia found Joro spiders in both traffic-dense and rural areas.
However, they only seem to use their venom against pests, and they’re not thought to be a significant threat to the local ecosystem.
José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ecologist at Rutgers University, said the species is able to make its way across the southeast thanks to an adaptability to a wide range of habitats and the ability to travel large distances by ballooning.
‘They can also hitch a ride on cars, like a lot of other species of spiders,’ Ramírez-Garofalo told The Times.
‘The climate across the northeast is very much like their native range, so they will have no problem moving into virtually any area north of the southeastern US.
‘We should expect to see Joros soon, as early as this year, but when they do arrive they will be in such small numbers that chances are you won’t actually see them.
‘There is more of a chance that you will see one of our native garden orb weavers, which are also large and look a lot like Joros.
‘There are already spiders here that look like them and occupy a similar role in the ecosystem, and adding a relatively small number of Joros likely will not have a major effect.
‘They pose no threat to humans, as their venom is not considered medically significant.’
There haven’t been any reports of Joro sightings in New York or New Jersey yet, but the Department of Agriculture is monitoring their spread.
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