PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Don’t look up — giant invasive spiders that parachute through the air have been spotted in our neck of the woods.
Six Joro spiders were reported in Northampton Township, Bucks County earlier this month, according to the University of Georgia’s website Joro Watch.
Joro spiders are an invasive species native to Asia. They first popped up in the United States in Georgia in 2014. They are believed to have hitched a ride to the U.S. via exported materials, according to the University of Georgia.
The black-and-yellow arachnids can grow as big as the size of your palm but are light enough to travel through the air by “ballooning” on strands of webbing.
A 2022 Penn State study noted that the climate in Pennsylvania is ideal for the eight-legged critters to thrive.
Fortunately, there’s no need to worry. Although technically venomous, experts say their bites aren’t toxic enough to harm humans. Experts also say the spiders are more of a nuisance than a health risk, so it is not necessary to stomp them out like spotted lanternflies.