East Coast braces for invasion of palm-sized venomous spiders.

[Windwalker]

The large and vividly colored Joro spider, with its 4-inch-long legs enabling it to glide through the air, might reach as far north as New Jersey this summer, New Jersey Pest Control warned earlier this year.

 

Since 2021, these arachnids, believed to have infiltrated the southeastern U.S. from Japan, have been a major focus of attention. The Joro spider’s golden web has already been spotted in Georgia and South Carolina.

 

[Laidback]

It should be pretty easy to spot, but please keep them there,  we have enough venomous things in our area.  (they rattle and bite) 

[Windwalker]

We have plenty of the Orb Weavers which resemble this one. If I remember correctly, in 2018 I killed one, not knowing what it was. You can see the top part of a quarter in the bottom of the picture, and see how much larger it was.

 

https://ronscountry.com/depotblog/diy-at-home-cardio-stress-test/

[Laidback]

On our acreage we had an abundance of spiders,  they always seemed to like the bathroom especially when my wife went to shower .   In my garage, I had a pet cat spider,  they can grow to a very large size,  harmless to humans but flies and grasshoppers, not so much.   About 40 years ago when I was working outside,  my peripheral vision caught some movement just as I was going in the door,  I stopped and saw a large black widow spider making a web on the top corner of the frame.  I managed to catch it and put it in a bottle to show my wife,  she was less than impressed and threatened to leave me if I brought it in the house.  It was a good conversation critter for a few days after, friends and neighbors thought it was neat,  red hourglass and all,  but it met an untimely demise after the novelty wore off.  

 

My Pet Spider having lunch. 

 

[Windwalker]

That thing, has hair on its legs!

[Laidback]

2 hours ago, Windwalker said:

That thing, has hair on its legs!

 That's so you can feel it when it rubs against your face in the dark at 2am.  

[Cheyenne]

2 hours ago, Laidback said:

 That's so you can feel it when it rubs against your face in the dark at 2am.  

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

 

So, are these Joro spiders poisonous to people?

 

I leave bugs alone if they are not hurtful to me.  If they are inside my house, I'll capture them and take them outside.  They were here before me!

[Windwalker]

2 hours ago, Cheyenne said:

So, are these Joro spiders poisonous to people?

Strange they left a lot of that out. It would seem, that they have very small fangs for such a large spider, and most times can't penetrate human skin. 

 

Quote

Some people are fearful of bugs (and arachnids), especially ones we have never encountered before. As the new Joro spider makes its way to New Jersey it is normal to be scared of the creature and its long legs. Despite their appearance, there is no evidence that the Joro spider is dangerous.

 

Are Joro spiders dangerous?
Dr. David Coyle, an entomologist at Clemson University, spoke to NorthJersey.com earlier this year about the invading spider and he stated that there has not been reports of the Joro spiders biting humans.

 

They are venomous toward insects as they contain venom that kills bugs, but Coyle says that their bites are not strong enough to puncture human skin.

 

WebMD reflects the same sentiments expressed by Coyle. They say the Joro spider is not harmful to people. The website says the spider tends to avoid confrontation with humans. The spider does have small fangs, but they are only strong enough to eat other insects.

On the rare chance that the spider does bite a human, the symptoms are reported to be minor and medical intervention will not be necessary, according to WebMD. They have also reported that no Joro spider allergic reactions have been reported yet.

 

A Joro spider bite may have the same type of reaction, such as a small amount of pain and redness. If these bites do occur, they would not be life-threatening.

 

The creepy crawler has been spotted across the Southeast of the country including states such as Georgia South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Maryland.

[Cheyenne]

Thanks.