The Joro spider, an invasive species that is expanding in the US

SAN LUIS POTOSÍ, Mexico.- A large, brightly colored invasive species called the joro spider is moving into the United States.

Populations have been growing in parts of the South and East Coast for years, and many researchers believe it is only a matter of time before they spread to much of the continental United States, media outlets reported.

The Joro spider belongs to a group of spiders called “orb weavers,” named for their wheel-shaped webs. They are native to East Asia, have bright yellow and black colors and can measure up to 8 cm when their legs are fully extended.

However, they are quite difficult to detect at this time of year because they are still in the early phases of their life cycle and are only the size of a grain of rice.

The cobwebs reach the size of a basketball. Adult species are usually seen in August and September.

Its core US population is primarily in Atlanta, but it is spreading to the Carolinas and southeastern Tennessee. In the last two years a satellite population has been established in Baltimore.

Experts hope that the presence of the species in the northeast will increase.

These invasive spiders can damage crops and trees, a problem exacerbated by global trade and climate change, which is making local environmental conditions more comfortable for pests that previously couldn’t survive frigid winters.