Giant Flying Spiders Could Invade Maine, Massachusetts in 2024

Even though Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and the other New England states are not really known for their dangerous spiders, New England still has a fair number of people suffering from arachnophobia.

Well, if the mostly-harmless spiders we have throughout much of New England terrify you, you’re really going to hate what could soon be dropping into our region this year.  And yes, we really do mean dropping!

According to a recent article on the Clemson University website, Joro spiders are originally from Japan.  They were first spotted in Georgia in 2013.  Since then, they have been slowly working their way up the East Coast of the United States.

Joro spiders, also known as Trichonephila clavate, are black and yellow in color.  They can grow to be quite large.  The bodies of the males are about a half-inch across.  The females are larger.  They can be as big as an inch across.  Keep in mind that this is the size of just their bodies.  They appear much larger when you add in those eight legs that each protrude from their little bodies.

The really crazy thing about the spiders is how they have spread across the country.  The spiders can travel on “parachutes” that they make from their silk.  The process is typically referred to as “ballooning”, and it allows them to travel much more rapidly than their legs could carry them.

Even though they are used to thriving in the warm weather of Japan, the spiders are hearty and have no problem surviving in colder climates.  Because of this, it is thought that they could eventually travel all the way up the East Coast.

Check out this video of the spiders:

Creepy, eh?

The good news is that they are not dangerous.  They are not poisonous, and are unlikely to bite you.

As far as we know, the spiders have not been spotted in New England yet.  However, if they keep making their way north, it won't be long before we start seeing them.