The southern United States invaded by a new species of spider

The southern United States is facing a particular invasion.

The Joro spider, a species native to East Asia, has proliferated there for a few years and now reaches millions of individuals.

The first specimen was observed in 2014 north of Atlanta.

Since then, other arachnids of the same species have been found in more than 25 counties in Georgia and as far as South Carolina.

Their population has reached an "extreme number" according to the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia, cited by 

.

Millions of bright yellow, palm-sized Joro spiders, native to East Asia, have invaded northern Georgia.

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- The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) November 1, 2021

Natural antiparasites?

Very common in China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea, Joro's spiders are the size of the palm of the hand, an average of 8 cm.

They are recognizable by their yellow color and their blue, red and yellow markings for females.

Despite their frightening size and appearance, they do not represent a specific danger to humans.

According to the researchers, the species could have arrived in the Americas in shipping containers.

Georgia's hot and humid climate then encouraged the proliferation of animals, adds 

.

Spiders feed mainly on flies and mosquitoes, a diet in which entomologists see antiparasitic virtues.

“Joro spiders give us a great opportunity to control pests naturally, without chemicals,” explains Nancy Hinkle of the University of Georgia.

“Yes, I try to convince people that having trillions of big spiders and their webs all over the place is a good thing.

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