How do you feel about spiders? If you’re like most people, you probably hate them. If you’re an arachnophobe, you’ll want to be careful going out this spring. Connecticut is expected to be invaded by the Joro spider, a fearsome-looking invader from Asia who already hit the East Coast last year. They’re expected to head further north this spring, and we’re very likely to have quite a few in the Nutmeg State. Be on the lookout for this colorful creature!

The Joro spider is native to Asia and has made itself part of the Georgia ecosystem over the last few years. They're expected to colonize the East Coast this spring: that means there will probably be Joro spiders in Connecticut.
Christina Butler/Wikimedia Commons
The ones you're more likely to notice are the adult females, which have distinctive yellow and black patterns and are about the size of a human's palm.
Jon Cox/Flickr
The males are much smaller and plainer, with brownish-red coloration.
Since Joro spiders are so heavy, they have unusually thick webs in order to support their weight. This means they're able to catch a great many insects, making them prone to population explosions like they've seen in Georgia already.
Jon Cox/Flickr

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Younger spiders have been known to balloon through the air using their silk strands to catch onto wind gusts. Using wind, they're able to travel up to 100 miles.
Daniel Ramirez/Flickr
Joro spiders may look a bit terrifying, but they don't pose a threat to humans. They have mildly venomous bites, but their fangs are too small to penetrate flesh, and they're not aggressive.
Neil Dalphin/Flickr
As of this point, Joro spiders have shown no negative effects for the ecosystems they've entered. They kill many pests, like mosquitos and stinkbugs, so they're more likely to be beneficial than anything else.
Neil Dalphin/Flickr
If you see a Joro spider in Connecticut, admire this amazing arachnid then amble on away. So many of them are expected that killing one really won't do any good, anyway.

Have you seen any Joro spiders in Connecticut? Share your creepy crawly stories in the comments!

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