Giant Joro Spider Could Make It To New York. But Is That Bad?

NEW YORK STATE — People across the East Coast are worried after a report out of Georgia that said it's possible the large Joro spider — which has proliferated across the state — could spread northward and colonize much of the eastern seaboard. But will the spider be able to make a home here in New York?

Unfortunately for arachnophobes, it seems that it might.

The Joro — or Trichonephila clavata — is part of a group of spiders known as orb weavers for their highly organized, wheel-shaped webs. Joro females have colorful yellow, blue and red markings on their bodies and can measure 3 inches across when their legs are fully extended. Normally, they're about half the size of an adult human's palm, which would make them the largest spiders in the area (if they migrate so far north).

According to new research published in February by the University of Georgia, these spiders and their golden webs could soon spread beyond Georgia and likely colonize the entire East Coast.

The study found the Joro actually has a high-enough metabolism to survive the colder temperatures that kill off many of its cousins. This means the Joro's body functions better than its relatives in a cold environment, and it also means Joros can likely exist beyond the borders of the Southeast.

Joro spiders can also spin parachutes of web, which let their young float on wind currents to move further. It's one reason people call them "flying" spiders.

According to Hofstra University biology professor Lisa Filippi, the spiders could easily spread into New York. However, they don't pose any danger to humans.

"It doesn't do anything bad," Filippi said. "It eats lots of nasty insects that we're happy to have it eat."

Filippi said she spent 20 years in Japan doing research, and one of her sites was in the woods where she encountered multiple Joro spiders. Other than unfortunately getting a face-full of web while walking on a path, the spiders are completely harmless.

The Joros spin their webs in trees, Filippi said, so they're likely to avoid the more urbanized areas. But people near wooded areas and lots of trees may see them more often.

They're also likely to stay where they belong — outside. When bugs come into a house, Filippi said, it's often because they want to get out of the cold.

"I've never seen them in a house," she said. "I've only seen them outside."

The spider is native to Japan. it gets its name from Jorōgumo, a Japanese spirit that disguises itself as a beautiful woman to prey upon gullible men. Filippi said it roughly translates to "call-girl spider" because of its flashy colors.

"If you look at the stomach, it looks like lips with bright red lipstick," said Filippi.

Joros are relatively harmless to people and pets. This means they're often more of a nuisance than a danger. Joros won't bite unless cornered, according to the UGA study, and their fangs are virtually incapable of breaking human skin.

In addition to mosquitoes, the Joro spiders also eat brown marmorated stink bug, which are an invasive species with no natural predators here. However, it is possible that an influx of Joro spiders could push out smaller spiders native to the area.

If they make it to New York, the Joro spider may just become part of the landscape. Something that New Yorkers learn to live with.

"If they come, I don't think we should panic," Filippi said. "They're big, so that scares people. But the bigger they are, the more bugs they eat."

Patch writer Megan VerHelst contributed to this article.