We saw our first Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) this weekend! The large web was what caught our attention. We didn’t realize what spider we were looking at until after doing some research at home.
This yellow and gray spider is native to Asia. It was introduced to Georgia in 2014 and has been making its way across the southeast ever since. The female bodies are about an inch long, and their leg span can be 3-4 inches. The male bodies are less than half an inch long. Joro spiders are not harmful to humans.
Joro spiders are orb weavers. Take a look at some of the details of this web. From what we observed, there were two webs, a front and a back. The web was about 3 feet across and over 2 feet tall. It was quite stunning, with well over 100 spirals!
Scientists are very interested in tracking these non-native spiders. If you see a Joro spider, please take a picture and report it to Joro Watch, run by The University of Georgia – Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. If you can, report it on iNaturalist, too.