The Joro spider, despite its rapid spread and imposing size, is not aggressive but incredibly timid. This East Asian arachnid, now populating the Southeastern U.S., freezes when disturbed and thrives in urban environments due to its shy nature and substantial reproductive potential.The Joro spider, despite its intimidating size and rapid spread across Southeastern U.S., is surprisingly timid according to a study from the University of Georgia.
The researchers compared more than 450 spiders’ responses to a brief and harmless disturbance across 10 different species. In fact, Joros are relatively harmless to people and pets. Joros won’t bite unless cornered. And even if you did manage to somehow annoy a Joro into biting you, its fangs likely wouldn’t be large enough to pierce your skin.To examine the spiders’ reaction to stress, the researchers used a turkey baster to gently blow two rapid puffs of air onto individual spiders. This minor disturbance causes the spiders to “freeze” for a period of time, going absolutely still.
The only other spider species that exhibited a similarly extended response was the Joro spider’s cousin, the golden silk spider. Known as Trichonephila clavipes, the golden silk spider and the Joro spider are from the same genus.Officially known as Trichonephila clavata, the East Asian Joro spiderin Georgia around 2013. The species is native to Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China, and likely hitched a ride stateside on a shipping container.
They build their golden webs between powerlines, on top of stoplights and even above the pumps at local gas stations—none of which are particularly peaceful spots.The researchers believe the Joro spiders’ shyness may help them better endure the barrage of noise, vibrations and visual stimuli they consistently encounter in urban settings. Their prolonged freeze response to being startled could help conserve the Joro spiders’ energy.