The Joro spider, an invasive species native to East Asia, was recently spotted for the first time in Pennsylvania.
More than one of the yellow and black arachnids were discovered in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
According to Joro Watch, a monitoring system set up by the University of Georgia’s Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, six spiders were found at a home earlier this month.
The spiders have also been reported in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland, and Oklahoma, according to the map.
These venomous spiders are quickly becoming more common on the East Coast, and are known for their so-called ‘flying’ capabilities. They can release a silk web into the air, allowing them to be carried by the wind.
Their legs can grow to be up to 4 inches long.
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The spiders were first detected in Georgia in 2010, likely coming over on a cargo ship or in luggage. Their population in the U.S. is now estimated to be in the millions.
Researchers predict they will eventually spread to much of the country, especially eastern states.
The spiders eat mosquitoes, yellow jackets, and stink bugs to name a few.
While they are causing disruption to native insect populations as they spread, their venom is not deadly to humans.
@scrippsnews Have you heard of the Joro spider? The yellow and black arachnids can grow legs up to 4 inches long and “fly” by releasing silk web into the air that carries them by wind. The invasive species was first spotted in the U.S. in 2010, but they have been spreading. Researchers in Pennsylvania spotted them for the first time in the state this week. #JoroSpider #InvasiveSpecies #news ♬ original sound - Scripps News
