NowThis
7h ·
A giant, invasive spider could spread throughout the East Coast, a recent scientific study warns. The Joro spider, a yellow spider that can grow to about the size of a human palm, originated from Asia and was first seen in Georgia in 2013. In nearly 10 years, the species has rapidly spread across the state and other parts of the Southeast.
Experts say Joros are not a threat to humans, and they even eat pests like mosquitoes and stink bugs. But they do sometimes appear to fly by forming parachutes out of their webs and can travel up to 50 to 100 miles through the wind.
The University of Georgia study found that the spiders can survive in colder temperatures than those found in the Southeast, suggesting the species could take over much of the East Coast. ‘People should try to learn to live with them,’ said an author of the study in a statement. ‘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.’
7h ·
A giant, invasive spider could spread throughout the East Coast, a recent scientific study warns. The Joro spider, a yellow spider that can grow to about the size of a human palm, originated from Asia and was first seen in Georgia in 2013. In nearly 10 years, the species has rapidly spread across the state and other parts of the Southeast.
Experts say Joros are not a threat to humans, and they even eat pests like mosquitoes and stink bugs. But they do sometimes appear to fly by forming parachutes out of their webs and can travel up to 50 to 100 miles through the wind.
The University of Georgia study found that the spiders can survive in colder temperatures than those found in the Southeast, suggesting the species could take over much of the East Coast. ‘People should try to learn to live with them,’ said an author of the study in a statement. ‘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.’