Giant, venomous flying spiders expected to invade New Jersey this summer
NEW JERSEY - If you have a fear of spiders - this article is not for you!
And if you're a Jersey resident, be on the lookout, because experts say a Joro spider invasion is imminent.
The colorful creepy crawlers measure 4 inches long with 8-inch legs, and they can fly!
Russell Sieb, owner of NJ Pest Control, says we can expect to see them in New Jersey as soon as this summer.
"It’s just a matter of time when it gets up here to the northeast because they are very cold tolerant species," said Russell Sieb, owner of NJ Pest.
Winds carry the spiders thanks to a "ballooning" technique, which will drop them into the New Jersey and New York area over the next two months.
"Ballooning allows them to use their silk to catch the wind and it allows them to float or fly over larger distances." said the pest control expert. "It can harness the wind's energy and travel up to three miles."
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How big can they get?
"The female is gonna be the most colorful and bright and she can get up to 4 inches which is like the palm of your hand," said Sieb.
Joros are native to East Asia, but have recently become an entrenched invasive species in the American Southwest.
"Everything comes in, in shipments. So when something comes as a shipment from Asia and it gets to us, there’s no way to inspect everything completely," Sieb explained.
"As the Joro spider invasion continues its northward trajectory, the possibility of their arrival in New Jersey later this year has heightened concerns among residents and authorities alike," New Jersey Pest Control said.
These spiders are venomous, but only pose a threat to other insects. They also eat other pesky bugs like mosquitoes, yellow jackets, stink bugs and spotted lantern flies.
What will happen if you come into contact with a Joro spider?
Though experts say these spiders don’t necessarily pose a threat to humans or our pets, if for some reason, you come into contact with one, Sieb explains the most that would likely happen.
"Just a redness and soreness in the area, yes and that’s the most common," he said.
Do they go inside homes?
"They can be very large and intimidating but it's an outside pest. The chances of them getting inside is not in their nature," said the NJ Pest Control owner.
As the northeast braces for the eerie arrival, the best piece of advice would be to stay as far away from them as possible.
"Just like any insect, it’ll do what it can to protect themselves. So if you see it, I wouldn’t bother it at all," said Sieb.