Photo Credit: UGA

Just like the invasive Japanese kudzu that can be found all over Georgia, now a Japanese spider is making its home in the Peach State.  UGA researchers say the Joro spider is not dangerous, in fact it seems harmless and while considered an invasive species, they are not certain that there will be any negative impacts from the bright yellow, blue, black and red spiders that spin golden-looking webs.

The Joro spider first arrived stateside around 2013 and has since spread across the state and Southeast. But new research from the University of Georgia suggests the invasive arachnids could spread through most of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S.  UGA researches say that there is nothing that can be done to stop them; but, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

They may even serve as an additional food source for native predators like birds.

In their native Japan, Joro spiders colonize most of the country. Japan has a very similar climate to the U.S. and is approximately the same latitude. Also, the spider is not affected by cold weather as much as some other spiders that have found their way to the South. That means the Joro could spread across most of the Eastern United States.

UGA