Giant parachuting spiders 'spreading like wildfire'

Giant parachuting spiders may be coming to a neighborhood near you. The Joro spiders, arachnids known for their vibrant yellow-and-black patterns and ability to weave parachutes, are thriving in the Carolinas and are expected to spread across the East Coast in the coming years, according to a new study.

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Giant parachuting spiders may be coming to a neighborhood near you.

The Joro spiders, arachnids known for their vibrant yellow-and-black patterns and ability to weave parachutes, are thriving in the Carolinas and are expected to spread across the East Coast in the coming years, according to a new study.

Clemson University researchers have found that the Joros, which made their way to the US aboard shipping containers from Asia nearly a decade ago, have since expanded and reside within a 75,000-square-mile ecosystem across North and South Carolina and Georgia.

Some of the spiders, which can grow to the size of the palm of a hand, have even been spotted in Maryland as they head north by riding their parachutes.

“And not only that; they are spreading like wildfire,” researchers noted. “Data shows that this spider is going to be able to inhabit most of the eastern US.”

Unlike their native Asia, Joros have found little to get in their way in North America, as the spiders have no natural predators here and enjoy plenty of food.

Researchers noted that the large arachnid is an indiscriminate eater, meaning it will consume just about anything that gets trapped in its web.

“These spiders don’t seem to care what gets in their web; they’re just as likely to eat brown marmorated stink bugs as they are to eat a Monarch butterfly,” lead researcher professor David Coyle said in a statement.

The dominant spider is also known to push out any other web crawlers in the area, meaning that the presence of Joros signifies that other spiders won’t be in the area.

Although the spiders are large and venomous, scientists say they don’t pose a threat to human beings as their fangs are too small to penetrate people’s skin.

The Joros will also likely avoid entering homes as the spiders tend to prefer crafting webs outdoors along homes and other buildings.

Coyle said that if a Joro does enter a home, it would likely be easier to scare the spider away rather than hiring an exterminator.

“Pesticides work, but, also, they are probably overkill because it will kill everything else, and there is a cost involved; it’s just as easy to physically move them if they are on your house,” Coyle said. “They seem to love structures. So, I just tell people to take a stick or broom and remove them.”

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