An invasive species of giant spiders are creeping their way across the United States and sadly, experts believe their numbers will only explode as the weather improves and temperatures climb.
These large yellow, blue and red venomous spiders are the size of a human hand and have steadily embedded themselves across almost every state, with the largest populations of these Asian arachnids seen across the Eastern Seaboard.
Called the Joro spider, these creepy crawlies look nothing like your standard American web-spinner, with a large elongated and multi-colored abdomen attached to even longer eight-inch legs - and millions of Joros are just about to hatch.
Each female spider spins an egg sac containing up to 1500 of its young and attaches it to a tree. Then when the weather warms each spring, they hatch and continue their invasive march across the US.
Advert
People living in New York and New Jersey are expected to see the largest wave of Joro spiders in the coming months, according to new peer-reviewed research by Clemson University scientist and assistant professor David Coyle.
The arachnologist said in the study that these large venomous spiders are 'here to stay' and will 'inhabit' most states across the east of the country by the summer, but many avid gardeners may have already spotted them.
He added: “Barring some unforeseen circumstance, we expect the range of these [spiders] to continue expanding, likely to the north, and we’ve already seen that with some populations in Maryland."
What caused these spiders, which are usually found in places like Japan and China, to wind up in the US is a real lesson in international biosecurity.
According to the Washington Post, the Joro arrived in America more than a decade ago after hitching a ride on a shipping container that ended up in Georgia.
But rather than be confused by their new environment, these huge spiders found that the climate of the eastern states actually matched the same parts of Asia where the Joro thrives.
With their numbers continuing to grow, these scary-looking spiders have even migrated outside of this range, with sightings now being recorded as far as the west coast.
Where the Joro spider has spread
Joro spiders are instantly recognizable by their distinctive size and coloration. Females of the species have bright yellow bodies with bluish stripes and red markings, while males tend to be smaller and brownish.
Eagle-eyed homeowners have spotted them in the following states:
- New York
- New Jersey
- Georgia
- Pennsylvania
- Virginia
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Alabama
- California
- Massachusetts
William Morgan