(ORDO NEWS) — Americans suffering from arachnophobia and living on the East Coast are extremely unlucky. Palm-sized Asian spiders have invaded this region.
Americans with arachnophobia are very unlucky…
Joro spiders ( Trichonephila clavata ), which first appeared in the US in 2014, are now spreading across 25 counties from Georgia to South Carolina and could become permanent residents across much of the East Coast , according to a recent study published in the journal Physiological Entomology .
A close relative of the Joro spider, the orb-web spider ( Trichonephila clavipes ) has successfully moved to the same region over the past 160 years.
In the study, scientists compared the two spiders and concluded that the Joro spider has an even better chance of spreading and thriving on the East Coast. Joro’s metabolism is twice that of orbweb spiders and his heart rate is 80% higher.
These spiders can grow up to 8 centimeters in length and travel up to 160 kilometers using “parachutes” that they spin from their webs.
How dangerous are spiders to the ecosystem?
Thankfully, these tiny monsters are different from most invasive species. Most invasive species disrupt the ecosystems of the regions they enter. However, the spider Joro, on the contrary, can even be useful. The fact is that these spiders prey on other invasive species.
How dangerous are spiders to humans?
According to entomologists, do not be afraid of these spiders. You have to learn to co-exist with them.
“People should try to learn to live with them. If they literally get in your way, you can remove the web and push them aside, but they will simply return next year, ” the scientists said in a press release .
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