Giant, flying Joro spiders spotted near NJ: What to do if you see one, map
NEW JERSEY - The large and vividly colored Joro spiders are making their way north and the question isn't if they're coming to the NYC area -- it's when.
The venomous Joro spiders have been spotted along the New Jersey border according to Joro Watch, an interactive monitoring program developed by the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health to better understand the species.
Image of the Joro spider. (Ben Frick, co-author of study)
According to their interactive map, the spiders have been spotted in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which borders New Jersey.
When FOX 5 NY first reported on the species in June, they had only been spotted in parts of Georgia.
Since then, the creepy crawlers have been spotted in South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, Maryland, and now Pennsylvania.
Here's everything you need to know about these arachnids, including how to find them, and what to do if one bites you.
How are they spreading so fast?
According to Joro Watch fast spreading over large areas is likely due to humans unknowingly moving Joro spiders or Joro spider eggs to new locations.
On their own, Joro spiders may travel over short distances (a few miles).
The organization encourages spotters to take a picture and report it via their website.
The data will then be reviewed by expert verifiers and made available to the public through maps and report downloads.
The large and brightly colored Joro spider is easily noticeable. Native to Southeast Asia and Japan, the eight-legged spawn of the golden orb-weavers was first found about 2013 in Georgia and has since spread across the state and into the Southeast.
What is a Joro spider?
The Joro 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 three inches across when their legs are fully extended.
The eight-legged spawn of the golden orb-weaver, when full-grown, is about the size of a human palm.
How to kill a Joro spider
"The most direct way to get rid of problematic spiders is to kill them," according to research from the University of Georgia.
A close-up view of a Giant Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) seen along the Nakasendo Way between Sekigahara and Hosokute, Japan on November 5, 2022. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
Instead, wrapping them up in their web and stepping on them is the best way to get rid of them.
What to do if you are bitten by a Joro spider
These spiders are not considered to be aggressive, however, they are venomous.
If you ever encounter a Joro spider, don’t be alarmed. They are very skittish.
Scientists say they have a neurotoxin venom used to immobilize their prey; however, it is not very potent and only causes some redness and blistering to people, except those with allergic reactions.
A photo of a Joro spider. (David Coyle/Clemson University)
Orkin experts say that a Joro spider bite is comparable to a bee sting, unless a person is highly allergic.
According to Orkin, a researcher collecting Joro spiders with bare hands reported an occasional pinch, but said the spider’s bite never broke the skin, so venom was never transmitted.
Joro spiders and their webs are usually found along trails in the woods, in backyards and on house porches.
Joro spider map
Click HERE to see the known range of Joro spider.