‘Zillions’ of Big Spiders Are About To Invade the East Coast
AccuWeather | 3/11/22 | Allison Finch
After rapidly reproducing in Georgia last year, the Joro spider, native to East Asia, could spread to much of the East Coast in the coming year, according to new research from the University of Georgia, which also suggests the insects’ ability to survive certain weather conditions will influence just how far north they move.
The Joro spider is a part of the Trichonephila clavata species and is part of a group of spiders known for highly organized, wheel-shaped webs. The females have colorful yellow, red and blue markings on their bodies and can measure up to 3 to 4 inches when their legs are fully extended. The males have a brown body and are much smaller compared to the females. . . .
They use a ballooning technique, in which the spider uses its web to catch a current of air, to fly for 50-100 miles before latching onto a tree. . . .
“It looks like the Joros could probably survive throughout most of the Eastern Seaboard here, which is pretty sobering,” study co-author Andy Davis said in a statement. . . .
“Joro spiders present us with excellent opportunities to suppress pests naturally, without chemicals, so I’m trying to convince people that having zillions of large spiders and their webs around is a good thing,” Hinkle said.
Straight Line of the Day: Zillions of ballooning spiders are good because…