Their webs are everywhere and it’s hard to bring down the three layered sticky strings. The sticky webs of Joro Spiders are back this fall, and they have scientists researching their nature as predators.

Now common in Georgia, scientists predict the arachnids could end up moving throughout the entire East Coast.

Dr. Patrick Cain with Georgia Gwinnett College in Georgia says, “They are definitely not native. We are still trying to establish whether they are invasive to the native species.”

Joro spiders (Trichonephila clavata) are native to Asia with their range extending from northern India up into Korea. The name comes from the Jorogumo, a mythical creature from Japanese folklore that shapeshifts from a giant spider into a beautiful woman to ensnare young men.

The spiders first arrived in Georgia about a decade ago. They likely hitched a ride on a shipping container through international commerce. They’ve been more apparent the past few years, particularly in early fall when their webs are bigger and harder to miss.

Joros were first spotted in Braselton, Georgia, then slowly began to spread throughout the state. They probably hitchhiked on traveling vehicles. Now they’ve spread into neighboring South Carolina and Tennessee.

He said the spiders are not dangerous to humans, but they may or may not pose a threat to the Georgia ecosystem.

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