Asian Spiders in Georgia

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Huge Spiders From Asia Spotted In Georgia Again

The Joro spider, traditionally found in Asia, measures up to 3 inches across when its legs are extended. But they're harmless to humans.

Kara McIntyre,Patch Staff

Posted Fri, Oct 29, 2021 at 11:46 am ETReply

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)

GEORGIA — Last year, we had murder hornets. Then giant spiders big enough to kill a hummingbird.

Well, those same spiders are back again.

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.