The Joro spiders can grow to as large as a human being. ‘child’s hand,’ are expected to make their way towards the East Coast this spring. The spiders don’t only crawl, but apparently ‘parachute’Researchers at the University of Georgia reported last week that the University of Georgia had taken the skies down, according to published reports.
Researchers say the Joro spiders are able to tolerate cold weather, and millions of them are expected to hit the Southeast, particularly in and around Georgia, as early as May. Some may even make it all the way to Delaware and D.C.NPR reported.
The spiders, identified by their large bulbous body, bright blue-black color, yellow striped legs, and distinctive red marking on their underbelly, can grow up to 3 inches long. They are also known to lay an egg sack containing up to1,500 eggsand can spin webs as wide as 10 feet, USA Today reported.
Experts believe their life cycle begins in early spring. The month of June is when they get bigger, and are more prevalent in July and August.
Though massive and scary looking, these creatures are apparently harmless to humans and pets, researchers say.
And their fangs “aren’t even big enough to puncture human skin,”Researchers agree.
In fact, one of the Joro spider’s claim to fame is the large webs they weave, which look as if they are spun from golden silk, NPR reported.
Andy Davis, a researcher at the Odum School of Ecology who was also one of the authors of a recently published study, is a member of the Odum School of Ecology. UGA Today, a publication of the University of Georgia, said the spiders don’t have a significant effect on local agriculture or ecosystems. According to the news outlet, spiders may be an additional food source for birds.
Native to Japan, the Joro spider — named for Jorōgumo, a creature of Japanese folklore that can shapeshift into a woman or spider before killing its prey — began infiltrating the U.S. in 2013, Axios reported.
Davis has some advice for anyone who is afraid. “people should try to learn to live with them.”
“If they’re literally in your way, I can see taking a web down and moving them to the side, but they’re just going to be back next year,” Davis said.