ATLANTA (AP) — Researchers say a large spider native to East Asia that proliferated in Georgia last year could spread to much of the East Coast.
The Joro spider's golden web took over yards all over north Georgia in 2021, unnerving some residents.
The spider was also spotted in South Carolina, and entomologists expected it to spread throughout the Southeast.
A new study suggests it could spread even further.
Researchers at the University of Georgia said in a paper published last month that the Joro appears better-suited to colder temperatures than a related species.
The study found that the spider first arrived in the states in 2013.
According to the researchers, the Joros are native to Japan.
The study found that Joros' metabolism is twice that of the golden silk spider, its heart rate is 77% higher, and can survive a brief freeze that kills off many of its cousins.
