Giant, venomous yellow spiders have been making their way up the East Coast, and people may begin to spot them in New Jersey, New York and even southern Canada as early as this year. The invasive Joro spider, native to East Asia, was first found in Georgia in 2013. The spiders remain mostly in the Southeast, but researchers predict they will head north because they are better suited for colder climates. The creatures are characterized by their bright color and large size.
Many other animals, by contrast, would react more, and that tendency would make it difficult for them to live in a stressful environment long term. But Joro spiders’ lack of reaction allows them to set up webs in surprising places, like on traffic lights above busy intersections, Davis said. “If they can live in these disturbed areas just as much as they can live in natural areas, that means there’s nothing stopping them from living anywhere in this country,” he said.