![]() Joros to comeįor those truly concerned, most will have died off come late November, Hinkle assured, but they will leave behind egg sacs full of eggs. Right now she is just using me as substrate,” Hinkle said as she watched the large spider drop off her arm. “As with all orb weavers, it has small mouth parts. Handling a Joro and allowing it free reign on her arm, Hinkle, who was invited to Hudson’s property for the Joro tour, assured onlookers that the leggy arachnid was not interested in biting her at all. Scientists are hopeful that the Joro spiders will help make a dent in these populations. Hinkle said they help suppress mosquitoes and biting flies, and Joros are one of the few spiders that will catch and eat brown marmorated stink bugs, which are serious pests to many crops. “Joro spiders present us with excellent opportunities to suppress pests naturally, without chemicals, so I’m trying to convince people that having zillions of large spiders and their webs around is a good thing!” she said. UGA entomologist Nancy Hinkle sees the Joro as a “beautiful creature that provides free pest control.” Natural pest control Hinkle interacts with an adult female Joro spider, which she says provides "free pest control." (Photo by Carly Mirabile) ![]() Halloween is coming up, so we all have fine, natural decorations for the kiddos to enjoy,” Hoebeke said. “I think people need to make peace with Joros and accept the spiders because they are not going anywhere. All experts agree that, over time, Mother Nature will take its course and the numbers will settle down to a more moderate amount. The only negative effect concerning the spiders seems to be the nuisance caused by their extreme numbers this year. UGA scientists have not noticed any negative effects on any native species, which was one concern. “They are great little hitchhikers!”Īs far as invasive species go, Hoebeke believes this one is “not so bad.” In fact, he has tried to convince the hundreds of people who have sent emails this year concerned about how many spiders are in their yards that paying exterminators will not give them the desired result or solve the problem. “Our best guess is that it came in a shipping container and dropped off here somewhere on I-85 in the Braselton area,” Hoebeke said of his tracking research. Hoebeke then led an effort to identify the East Asia native spider and track the Joro as it spread throughout Georgia. Joros were first identified in the state in 2014 by Rick Hoebeke, Georgia Museum of Natural History collections manager, when a call came in about an unusual spider found by a citizen. ![]() “This year, I have several hundred, and they actually make the place look spooky with all the messy webs - like a scene out of 'Arachnophobia,'” he said, extending an invitation to come to his home to view the creepy scene. “Last year, there were dozens of spiders, and they began to be something of a nuisance when I was doing yard work,” he explained. He enjoys watching spiders, and this new species was exceptional with its unusual golden web. Three years ago, University of Georgia entomologist Will Hudson was excited when two big, beautiful Joro spiders appeared on his property in Winterville, Georgia. ![]() It seems Georgia residents will need to get comfortable with this new arachnid in town because, according to scientists, it’s not going anywhere. Millions of palm-sized Joro spiders have suspended themselves in three-dimensional golden webs on porches, power lines and mailboxes in roughly 25 counties in the state - and counting. The invasive spider is harmless to humans, and researchers are examining their impact on local ecology. A female Joro spider is suspended in entomologist Will Hudson's yard in Winterville, Georgia.
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