Trichonephila clavata (Joro spider) on green background Credit – Getty Images—NORIYUKI_OTANI
A.Concerns about the possible arrival of the Joro spider into large areas of New York City have sparked concern about the terrifying-looking eight-legged creature in the Northeast. But experts advise residents to remain calm, say the arachnids are harmless, and question whether and when the spider will make it north.
“There’s no need to panic about this,” David Coyle, an assistant professor in Clemson University’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, told TIME.
The yellow and gray arthropods are originally from East Asia. The creatures were first documented in the southeastern United States around 2013, but Coyle says it’s possible the spider arrived as early as 2010. Experts speculate that the arthropods were probably hitchhiking on cargo containers bound for a town north of Atlanta.
Joro spiders are an invasive, meaning non-native species. In the U.S., the creatures live mostly in northern Georgia, the Appalachian region of South Carolina, the westernmost corner of North Carolina, and the southeasternmost corner of Tennessee. According to inaturalist.org, Joro spiders have been recorded as far north as Baltimore.
Spiders are about the size of a woman’s hand, their bodies are up to an inch long, and their leg span is up to ten inches. Experts say they are harmless despite their size. “Are these annoying in high-population areas? Definitely. They are everywhere and their networks are huge,” says Coyle. “But we haven’t seen anything like this in terms of danger.”
Here’s what you need to know about spiders.
Will the spider really make it to New York?
Although it is possible for the Joro spider to travel to New York, it would need to reach the metro area through some form of human-assisted movement.
“If or whenever [the Joro spider] We have no idea if it will get there. It could be a year, it could be ten years; There’s really no way to tell. It’s not like going that far on your own,” Coyle says. “[But] “There’s always a possibility that there will be a hitchhiking population, which is probably how that little spot in Baltimore came about.”
Coyle notes that it only takes a group of spider egg sacks being moved from one place to another for the spider population to take root in another state. Still, experts say any guesses about timing would be pure speculation. Andy Davis, a research assistant professor at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia, adds that even if there are a few reports of spiders in New York, it will take years for spider numbers to reach a viable population.
Judging by the creature’s physiology, it is still very possible for it to live in a place like New York. “If you look at their natural range in East Asia, you see a very wide range with wide ranges of latitude, from northern Japan to Taiwan,” Davis says. “If you extrapolate that, that means these fighters could probably live somewhere like Maine or South Florida if they wanted to.”
Does the Joro spider fly?
Joro spiders do not fly; Or at least they don’t fly as some people imagine. Coyle says young Joro spiders travel by air while they’re still hatchlings. “Some will go up on a high perch and let a few silks loose, and some of that silk will be caught by the wind and they will blow away,” he says. It is a common process known as ballooning.
However, as spiders grow, they become unable to remain suspended in the air.
Are spiders harmful to people or pets?
Experts say the Joro spider poses no risk to humans or pets. “They have venom, just like other spiders,” Davis says. “But as long as you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.” Part of this has to do with the personality of the spider, which experts describe as quite docile and shy. Even if a person is bitten by a Joro spider, Coyle says it’s more like a mosquito bite, while Davis likens it more like a bee sting.
Pets will also likely be safe around the breed. According to Davis, Joro spiders spend most of their time in webs above the ground, which are probably too high for a cat or dog to reach. Even then, any attack by the spider would have to be provoked.
“They would rather not bite you because, from a biological standpoint, it really costs a lot of physiological energy to produce venom for anything,” Coyle says. “They really only bite if they are completely trapped as a last defense mechanism.”
Is spider harmful to the environment?
Experts are unsure of the Joro spider’s impact on the environment. These creatures are no match for the spotted lanternflies, which experts encourage people to kill because they pose a danger to more than 100 trees and plants.
However, the Joro spider does not harm any vegetation. Experts are confused about how these affect native spider species. Davis says Juro spider webs have been seen alongside native spider webs, meaning the two may coexist. “Joro spiders may be outselling some of our native spiders when it comes to food, because they’re both after the same food,” Davis says. “But on the other hand, Joro spiders may become a food source for another by some of our birds, or their egg cases may become a tasty snack for a raccoon in the winter.”
Coyle says areas with high Joros populations don’t see many native spider species, but it’s not clear what would keep different spider species apart.
Although Davis says it’s not necessary to kill the spider, Coyle says people can crush the arachnids if it makes them most comfortable. “Will you make a measurable impact on the public? No. But if this is your thing, go for it,” he points out.
Contact us at letters@time.com.