By Michael Coughlin Jr.
Jessica Garb, an Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell whose laboratory specializes in spiders, gave the lowdown on the unfamiliar creature that appeared in the neighborhood recently: the Joro Spider.
A Joro Spider
While Garb said she does not study this species specifically, she provided information for folks looking to learn more about
it. According to Garb, the Joro Spider is native to Eastern Asia and was first introduced to the southern part of the United States around 2013.
“They’re actually quite abundant, is my understanding, in certain areas of Georgia, and maybe, South Carolina,” she said.
Moreover, she described some characteristics of the spider, saying they “make very large webs, and they’re quite conspicuous.” “They are pretty large-sized spiders as spiders go,” she added.
Specifically, according to https://jorowatch.org/ — a website that Garb told the Beacon Hill Times takes reports of sightings — just the body of a female adult Joro can be up to 1.25 inches long.
Moreover, media outlets have previously used headlines indicating that this spider can fly; however, Garb pumped the brakes on that assessment.
She noted this idea of flying is tied to the phenomenon called ballooning, in which spiders in their infancy release silk and are carried in the air by the wind. Further, Garb indicated this occurs with many spiders and that they are often at their smallest size when it happens.
Naturally, one would wonder if the Joro is a cause for concern, especially for folks who might encounter it. However, Garb eased those concerns.
While Garb noted that almost all spiders, including the Joro, are venomous — meaning they make venom — she did not think there was any documentation of this species’ venom being harmful to people.
“So there’s a lot of species for which even though they’re making venom — because it’s not necessarily targeted toward human nervous systems, it’s not toxic to us,” she said.
“Then their behavior might be such that they’re just so shy that they’re not inclined to be biting people.”
Although this spider is seemingly not dangerous to people, Garb did express some concerns relating to the critter.
First, she noted some concern if the spiders became numerous in the state and displaced local species, especially those that have adapted to the area and cannot survive elsewhere. She also thought it could be concerning if the spiders found their way to more natural habitats. Still, she stopped short of forecasting how it might impact those habitats and generally suggested it could lead to homogenization.
Additionally, Garb mentioned that she was concerned about false reports of seeing the Joro Spider. For example, she said that she received an image through another news outlet from a resident of Cape Cod and another image directly from a resident of Western Massachusetts, both of whom thought they spotted the Joro, but they were actually a native species that looked similar.
“We do have at least one native species here, which is kind of similar enough looking that for people who are not really thinking a lot about different kinds of spiders and how to distinguish them, could be easily mistaken,” said Garb.
“When they sent me the picture, I’m like, oh no, this is the native spider, and so I’m just worried people will start killing this thing, which I don’t think they should.”
For those interested in learning more about the spider or reporting a sighting, visit the aforementioned link to the Joro Watch website. For those who remain concerned about the Joro Spider’s appearance in the neighborhood, at least one city official sympathizes with you.
“I feel for my fellow residents of Beacon Hill as I am not a fan of spiders. Especially the flying variety! Happy to lead the Boston Arachnid Mitigation Plan,” wrote City Councilor Sharon Durkan in an email commenting on the sighting.