Giant, ‘flying’ Joro spiders expanding in East Coast

“Down here in the hot zone, they are everywhere. Everywhere."

by Ryan Bass | Jun. 05, 2024

Story at a glance

Joro spiders are native to Japan and Asia but have been spotted in states including Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

Sightings of these creepy crawlers have even been confirmed as far north as Maryland, and experts warn they could spread farther.

They’re not dangerous to people, experts say, though they can be annoying,

(NewsNation) — Spiders the size of a baby’s hand and that can fly have been spotted along the East Coast, and scientists expect them to keep spreading.

What is a Joro spider?

The Joro spiders, as they are known, spawn massive webs, have a leg span of up to 4 inches and a vibrant yellow and black coloration.

The good news is that they’re fairly docile and don’t threaten humans or pets, invasive species expert David Coyle told NewsNation.

Where are Joro spiders found?

Joro spiders are native to Japan and Asia but have been spotted in states including Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Sightings of these creepy crawlers have even been confirmed as far north as Maryland.

Earlier this year, New Jersey Pest Control warned about the impending presence of the spider in the state, and one ecologist told SI Live that it’s a matter of when, not if, the spiders show up in New York City.

Joro spiders are light enough to parachute through the air, using wind currents to travel up to 100 miles at a time, essentially allowing them to “fly.”

After spotting a Joro spider three years ago in his backyard, Coyle, an assistant professor of forest health and invasive species at Clemson University, sought to research the species.

The joro spider, a large spider native to East Asia, is seen in Johns Creek, Ga., on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. The spider has spun its thick, golden web on power lines, porches and vegetable patches all over north Georgia this year – a proliferation that has driven some unnerved homeowners indoors and prompted a flood of anxious social media posts. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)

In a study published last fall, Coyle and other researchers discovered that the spiders seemingly prefer humid forest areas of the country, where the environment mimics where they’re from in Japan.

“Down here in the hot zone, they are everywhere. Everywhere,” Coyle told NewsNation. “I’ve not seen something with the populations this abundant in quite some time.”

Are Joro spiders venomous?

Even though Coyle confirmed that the Joro spiders are venomous, he explained the venom is reserved for the critters who get caught up in their webs.

“They’re not dangerous to humans,” Coyle said. “They’re super annoying because they kind of get all over everything and they’re, they’re more than happy to put a web on your porch or your deck or your carport or your landscaping. But as far as we know, there’s not been any instances of people getting bit or pets getting bit.”

Because they are not aggressive species, Coyle suggested a broom to sweep the spider and web away. He also said that when the Joro spiders are fully grown, they’re too heavy to fly, so these spiders won’t be dropping from the sky any time soon.

But, with a one-year lifespan, they don’t get big until October — just in time for Halloween, making “spooky season” a whole lot more interesting.