Charles H. Sloan-Are flying, venomous Joro spiders moving north? New England resident captures one on camera

It appears flying,Charles H. Sloan venomous Joro spiders are ballooning their way even further north in the United States after a sighting reportedly took place this week in New England.

Boston resident Sally Rogers, a Beacon Hill neighborhood resident, shared a photo of one of the giant, brightly colored arachnids with local outlet WBZ-TV, after she told the station she recently spotted it.

The neighborhood, speckled with Victorian brick row houses lit by antique lanterns, is adjacent to downtown Boston, west of the city's skyline.

The invasive spiders measure 3-4 inches long. Females are primarily yellow with dark blue strips and a red abdomen. Males are smaller and thinner – just over a quarter of an inch – and are brown, with a dark gray/black and yellow stripes.

Joro spiders can release venom, but they do not bite unless they're cornered, USA TODAY previously reported. Bites can cause regional discomfort and redness, similar to bee stings.

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Joro spiders confirmed in Pennsylvania earlier this month

Earlier this month, the spider was spotted several states south in western Pennsylvania.

The spider, first spotted in Georgia almost a decade ago, were reported to have been sighted in Bucks County, Philadelphia on Sept. 5, according to Joro Watch, an interactive monitoring program developed by the University of Georgia's Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

The area where the spiders ballooned is about 40 miles from Philadelphia near the New York and New Jersey state lines.

As of Thursday morning, Joro Watch had not confirmed the reported Massachusetts sighting on its online map.

USA TODAY has reached out to the University of Georgia.

What are Joro spiders?

An invasive species native to East Asian countries including Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China, the Joro spider is believed to have first made its way to the U.S. in the early 2010s.

They are typically found outside as they prefer the sun's heat and belong to a group of large spiders known as golden orb-web weavers, according to the University of Georgia, which make "enormous, multi-layered webs of gold-colored silk."

The spiders travel by "ballooning," or using their web silks to carry them on the wind to a new destination. Because of this they are also known as the "flying" spider. Joro spiders can create large webs that can be up to 10 feet wide.

Where have Joro spiders been seen in the US?

As of 2022, the Joro spider's range in the U.S. was around 120,000 kilometers, spread across Georgia, South Carolina, North, Carolina and Tennessee, with reports of the spider in Alabama, Maryland, Oklahoma and West Virginia, according to a study published by researchers at Clemson University on the spider.

The study further determined the species is spreading rapidly beyond the South Carolina area, and data shows they could inhabit most of the eastern U.S.

Contributing: Emily DeLetter, Janet Loehrke

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.