A Really Big Spider Is Crawling North, Will It Make It To Michigan?
If you HATE spiders and want to burn them to the ground, you're not alone.
If you suffer from arachnophobia, which is the intense fear of spiders, then I have some potentially bad news for you. It was announced this week that a hiker in north Alabama saw the invasive Joro spider.
The Joro spider, which can grow to be several inches long, has become a huge nuisance for people living in north Georgia, reproducing in huge numbers and spinning large, three-dimensional webs that can take over porches, sheds, and wooded areas. Will this spider be making its way to Michigan anytime soon? Let's find out.
Where Did The Joro Spider Come From?
The Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) was likely brought into the United States in 2013 or 2014 in a container ship from Japan, China, Taiwan, and/or Korea, that was headed for Atlanta, GA. Since then, the Joro spider has been observed in northern Georgia and South Carolina.
How Long Would It Take For The Joro Spider To Arrive In Michigan?
The best guess is that it would take 20 years for the Joro spider to make its way to Michigan but the Joro spider will likely show up in Michigan sooner as a hitchhiker in luggage or in a vehicle.
Could The Joro Spider Survie In Michigan With Its Cold Weather?
The answer is probably yes and probably no. Andy Davis, an assistant research scientist at the University of Georgia told Mlive
The adult spider can probably survive a Michigan winter. The adult spider having surviving babies will possibly not occur. The adult spiders would live through a Michigan summer and fall, and then lay eggs. The egg sack is about the size of a pea and is like a spider sleeping bag, The egg sack could freeze in the winter, and the unborn spiders wouldn’t survive.
Would Joro Spiders Be Dangerous To Michiganders?
Andy Davis, an assistant research scientist at the University of Georgia told Mlive the spider won’t be a harm to humans if it makes it to Michigan.
It’s not a dangerous spider to humans but could change Michigan’s ecosystem by becoming a predator to some of Michigan’s native insects.
I appreciate what spiders do but I wouldn't shed a tear if the Joro did make its way to Michigan and didn't survive a very cold and snowy winter.