Source: Wikimedia Common
After grappling with the issues surrounding illegal immigration, the northeastern United States is now preparing for an entirely different kind of invasion.
This summer, states like New Jersey and New York are set to witness an influx of giant Jorō spiders, an invasive species originating from China and other parts of Asia.
The Jorō spiders, which sport a striking black and yellow color pattern, are about four inches long and have legs that span six to eight inches.
While their venom is weak and their fangs aren’t strong enough to penetrate human or pet skin, their sheer size and ability to ‘parachute’ through the air using their webs as makeshift parasails make them a cause for concern.
“Experts say the Jorō spider can fly 50 to 100 miles at a stretch, using their webbing as a parasail to glide in the wind, and it’s now also hitching rides up east coast highways,” according to Daily Mail.
The Joro spider, native to East Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China, is believed to have first docked on U.S. shores around 2013 via cargo ships in Georgia.
“The origins of the Joro spider invasion trace back to the theory that they were unintentionally transported to the United States via human activities. Cargo shipments, international trade, or personal travel could have facilitated their journey across the ocean. While the exact mechanism of their introduction remains unclear, the consequences of their arrival are becoming increasingly evident,” according to NJ Pest Control.
Since their unwelcome introduction, these sizeable arachnids have not only established a firm foothold in Georgia but have also traversed through Tennessee, the Carolinas, Maryland, and as far west as Oklahoma, according to recent studies conducted by Clemson University.
“That’s when we begin to see juveniles disperse,’’ he said. “Spring through the fall is when you start to think about that dispersal,” José R. Ramírez-Garofalo, an ecologist at Rutgers University’s Lockwood Lab told SiLive.
“That’s when they’ll hitch a ride north, spreading and reproducing in Delaware, New Jersey and eventually New York, it is predicted.”
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