First, in case you haven’t heard even though it’s been all over the news, there’s a giant new spider heading our way. His name is Joro, and he immigrated to the U.S. from Asia. This invasive spider from Georgia has slowly been making his way up the coast toward West Virginia. And now, he’s about to invite a bunch of his friends to come north with him. That’s right, flying spiders in West Virginia. According to scientific researchers, this giant Joro spider invasion is due to hit West Virginia as early as the summer of 2022.
While a giant spider invasion is the stuff of nightmares, and while Joro spiders really are expected to spread north along the eastern U.S. relatively quickly, making their presence known in states like West Virginia as early as this summer, this brewing arachnid invasion could be worse - much worse.
That's already great news! We don't have to worry about bites or poison or any of those harmful physical side effects.
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Even better, while Joro spiders are harmless to humans, they are deadly to stink bugs. That's right, the Joro spider feasts on adult brown marmorated stink bugs.
Here's another thing you might be worried about when it comes to the spread of the Joro spider. Joro spiders spread by parachuting: that is, they form a balloon of silk and ride the wind from place to place.
They will expand their range out from Georgia and South Carolina slowly, a few at a time, by blowing in the wind until they snag on a tree or bush. Even if a few do arrive in West Virginia this summer, it may be several more years before their presence is established enough to even be noted in West Virginia.
Those rumors of flying bugs falling from the sky and getting tangled in your hairstyle are wildly exaggerated. Nature just doesn't work like that. So never fear, you won't have to use an umbrella outside of pest reasons.
The downside of the slow crawl of joro bugs just means you may have to suffer through a few more seasons of stink bugs, after all. But it seems like a fair trade.
Experts say the worst that joro spiders will do is be an annoyance and that killing them or getting rid of them is completely unnecessary. They're not likely to disturb the natural ecosystems here in the U.S.
Joro spiders may be heading our way but they're generally more likely to be found in Asia, especially Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. They're favorites of the residents of that region because, as we've learned, they're harmless to humans they sport a brightly colored pattern on them making them beautiful to look at. The largest and most brightly colored of the bunch are the female spiders.
The webs are also beautiful. A female's web can reach up to almost ten feet in length and glistens like gold in the sunlight. In Japan they actually used the genes of the joro spider to create a silk thread that's softer, stronger, and more durable than traditional silk. This silk will be used for everything from bulletproof vests and fishing line to haute couture.
Have you ever heard of the Joro spider? It’s not the only invasive creature to watch out for this summer. Another pest that has already arrived in West Virginia is the spotted lanternfly – and it truly is a potential nightmare!
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Bugs In West Virginia
CC|December 29, 2022
What bugs live in West Virginia?
The joro spider may be the newcomer but they’re certainly not the only bugs living in West Virginia. These are some of the native species the joro will have to make nice with.
