A new type of spider might be coming to town soon: the Joro spider! (Depending on your feelings about spiders, this might be an interesting announcement or cause for despair.)
The Joro spider first made an appearance in the United States in Georgia in 2013. (This type of spider is originally from East Asia.) Since then, the spider has spread across the Southeast and is expected to continue spreading up the East Coast and toward the west this spring.
What is the Joro spider, and should you be concerned?
Joro Spider Facts
The Joro spider is one of several types of spiders that have been introduced to the U.S.—meaning it’s not native.
This spider is large compared to many common Ohio spiders. In fact, the female Joro spider can have a body length of one inch and a leg span of around four inches. That’s about the size of your palm! (The male Joro spider, on the other hand, has a body length of a third of an inch.)
The female Joro spider is very brightly colored, with yellow and gray-blue stripes covering the body and black and yellow bands striping the legs. The male, however, is much more muted in color, with a brown body and brown and tan bands on the legs.
While this spider can look startling, the good news is that the Joro spider isn’t dangerous. Like most spiders, the Joro doesn’t attack or bite people unless provoked. Its bites are also not serious (unlike the brown recluse, for example).
The only “danger” to be concerned about is the danger of walking through one of their webs: adult female Joro spiders create large webs (up to 10 feet wide) that are suspended between objects like trees, bushes, light posts, etc. What’s more, the Joro spider also uses its webs to move from one place to another: they’re actually nicknamed the “parachuting” spider. (This ability is why they have been able to spread so quickly.)
How to Keep Spiders Out of Your Home
Understandably, news of this large spider has alarmed many homeowners. As a result, now is the perfect time to talk about how to keep spiders out of your house—no matter what type they are.
While Joro spiders—and most spiders, in fact—are relatively harmless, they are a nuisance. And you definitely don’t want an infestation in your home!
To keep spiders outside and not in your home, we have the following tips for you:
- Seal up any cracks and crevices big enough to let spiders inside
- Repair or replace cracked or missing weatherstripping around windows and doors
- Repair any leaky pipes or other places where excess moisture gathers
- Close windows and doors that don’t have screens
- Check any plants for spiders before bringing them inside
- Remove clutter in order to give spiders fewer places to hide
- Take down spiderwebs with a broom or vacuum cleaner as soon as you find them
It’s also important to clean your home regularly to get rid of food sources—like spills, crumbs, and open food containers in the pantry—for other insects. That’s because spiders prey on insects, and if your home has lots of insects, all types of spiders will come to eat!
Contact Us Today
If you have a serious spider issue, the experts at Scherzinger Pest Control can help.
Scherzinger Termite and Pest Control is a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and now Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or via web inquiry, Facebook or Twitter.