Joro spiders are floating across the East Coast, and D.C. could be next
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The idea of neon green, four-inch-long spiders "flying" around cities sounds apocalyptic. But as it turns out, the Joro spider is more of a paper tiger.
Why it matters: They are an invasive species spreading across the Eastern U.S., spawning alarming headlines — and making us wonder, is D.C. next?
What they're saying: The narrative is "how these giant spiders were flying into your city and they were going to eat your brains," says Andy Davis, a research scientist at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia.
Reality check: First off, they don't "fly." When tiny babies, Joro spiders can throw a thread of silk into the air and catch the wind, sometimes floating for miles. That's the misconception. And once they reach adulthood, they aren't so keen on aeronautics.
- Plus, Joros are … shy. One of the most docile spiders ever, in fact, according to Davis.
- Like all spiders, they have venom. But it's unlikely you'll be bit unless you really roughly mess with one.
Yes, but: Arachnophobia is still a thing; "I know these spiders are scary looking," Davis says.
State of play: When will they drop in D.C.?
- "Every journalist I talk to wants to know the exact date of arrival, which nobody knows," Davis tells us. "Everyone seems to agree it will get there. It's just a matter of when and not if."
- Joro spiders are native to East Asia and have spread since first appearing in the Southeast in 2013 and 2014, particularly doing well in the urban and cooler climate of the Northeast. They could eventually invade New Jersey and New York.
Right now, they are in their baby stage. They'll grow up by September and October, at which point we'll find out where they're appearing.
- In peak adulthood, they like to weave 3- to 4-foot large webs, near bushes and urban streets.
- "They seem to be able to live close to humans, unfortunately for us," Davis says.
Fun fact: Joros will eat anything that flies into their webs.
- Except, apparently, monarch butterflies. The spiders will even cut those out of their webs, a recent study co-authored by Davis found.