The Joro spider — officially named Trichonephila clavata — is part of a group of spiders known as orb weavers for their highly organized, wheel-shaped webs, according to the Associated Press. They're traditionally found in China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and can measure up to three inches across when the legs are fully extended.
The spiders and their golden-colored webs have been spotted on power lines, porches and gardens all over north Georgia this year — just as they were last year, too. They're not deadly, are typically not a threat to humans or pets, and won't bite unless they feel threatened, Paula Cushing, an arachnologist at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, told AP.
Reports from the University of Georgia indicate the spiders were first spotted in the state in 2013 and 2014, according to USA Today, and there's no indication of them going anywhere anytime soon.
Patchy rain nearby, with a high of 78 and low of 63 degrees. Light rain shower for the morning, patchy rain nearby in the afternoon, sunny in the evening, partly cloudy overnight.
70° and Sunny
The joro spider, a large spider native to East Asia, is seen in Johns Creek, Ga., on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)
