Joro spider populations have been expanding for some time in various regions of the South and the East Coast, and many scientists believe it will not be long before they cover a large portion of the continental United States.MARYLAND: This week, the Joro spider—a Post-it Note-sized arachnid that has been thriving in southern U.S. states since 2021—has made news as people wonder when their states will see the wind-riding insect come.
A website that tracks the migrations of the arachnid and specialists agree that the Joro spider is already present in Maryland.
The East Asian native species made its appearance in Maryland last summer when populations were discovered in the counties of Howard and Anne Arundel.
The Joro spider: what is it?
The wheel-shaped webs of the Joro spider give it its designation as an orb-weaver. Males are brown, while females are vividly coloured in shades of red, blue, and yellow. Both can reach a maximum length of three inches when their legs are spread wide.
Because joros are still in the early stages of their life cycle and are only a little larger than a rice grain, they can be difficult to find at this time of year. August and September are when adults are most frequently sighted.
Baby Joros employ a method of transportation known as "ballooning," in which they exploit the winds and electromagnetic currents to propel themselves across great distances using just their webs. Joro spiders may expand to other northern states as early as this summer if northern winds and spiderling deliveries line up.
Which way is the Joro going?
Although the exact cause of the Joro spiders' spread to states as far north as New York and New Jersey is still unknown, research scientist Andy Davis of the University of Georgia told The New York Times last year that it is "only a matter of time" until they do.
Given that the Mid-Atlantic states are in the same latitude as areas of Asia where spiders are found in abundance, it would make sense for these states to be the spiders' next stop. One study found that the species had approximately twice the metabolism of its cousins and can withstand a brief frost that kills off other spiders.
As Davis told the Times, "New York is right in the middle of where they like to be."
They now have a large population in Atlanta, but they have also spread throughout the Carolinas and southeast Tennessee.
Do Joro spiders pose a threat?
Although the Joro is venomous, neither people nor pets are in danger from its venom.
Emeritus professor of entomology at the University of Maryland, Mike Raupp, said WTOP, "You definitely do not need to run to the hills in fear of the Joro spider." "Nobody was bitten, nobody died," according to Raupp, when the Joro was found in Maryland the previous year.
What is consumed by Joros?
Joro spiders typically consume insects from their web. Raupp told WTOP that although this could mean they have to fight with local spiders for food, the people in the vicinity might benefit from their diet.
Raupp stated, "They catch a tonne of invasive pests, which they love to eat, like brown marmorated stink bugs and spotted lantern flies."
This story was supported by Nicole Rosenthal, editor of Patch, and the Associated Press.
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