Pennsylvanians are no strangers to invasive insects. Just take a look at the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that has invaded Eastern Pennsylvania, feeding on and causing significant damage to trees. This year may bring with it a new invasive species of spider in Pennsylvania for which you definitely want to keep a lookout. However, it’s not expected to be troublesome, especially compared to the spotted lanternfly.
The invasive Joro spider, technically known as the Trichonephila clavata, may soon make its way to Pennsylvania and much of the Northeast.
Flickr/Daniel Ramirez
A native of Asia, the Joro spider was first spotted in Georgia in 2014. Scientists believe the invasive spider spread in the United States through trucks, shipping containers, and potted plants.
Wikipedia/Nasnad
Joro spiders are expected to spread throughout the Northeast, potentially reaching Pennsylvania, via humans as they originally did in Georgia.
Wikipedia/Korall
Spotting a Joro spider shouldn’t be too difficult. The females, which are usually bright yellow and gray, are around an inch long; however, their legs can be as long as four inches.
Wikipedia/Micha L. Rieser
Male Joro spiders are less than half the size of the females, measuring around a third of an inch. They might be a bit harder to spot as they’re not as bright as the females and are predominately brown.
Flickr/Neil Dalphin
Joro spiders aren’t known as biters, at least when it comes to humans, but they will bite to protect themselves. If you get bitten by one, you may feel some pain and experience redness, but bites generally aren’t a big deal unless you have an allergy to the spider’s venom.
Flickr/Neil Dalphin
The web of a Joro spider is pretty easy to spot. When it’s sunny out, the web takes on a golden tone.
Flickr/Toshihiro Gamo
Pennsylvanians shouldn’t expect much of an impact – if any – on the environment or on themselves from the Joro spiders. The invasive spider, in fact, might become quite popular, since it’s known for feasting on a diet that includes mosquitoes, stinkbugs, and flies.
Flickr/Josh
While we await the arrival of this new invasive species of spider in Pennsylvania, all Pennsylvanians should be on the lookout for the spotted lanternfly. If you see a spotted lanternfly in Pennsylvania, be sure to kill it as it causes significant harm to trees and agriculture in the state.
Flickr/Daniel Ramirez
Wikipedia/Nasnad
Wikipedia/Korall
Wikipedia/Micha L. Rieser
Flickr/Neil Dalphin
Flickr/Toshihiro Gamo
Flickr/Josh
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