The giant, invasive Joro spider that's been sending shivers down the spines of arachnophobes across the United States has made its way further north, right into the heart of Boston.
The yellow spiders, which are from East Asia and first spotted stateside in Georgia about a decade ago, have a harrowing reputation as being able to fly, though that's a bit of a misnomer — when they're young, Joro spiders can balloon, catching air thanks to a strand of silk, which other spiders can do as well.
A photographer shared images of the spider on a web in Boston. Joe Schifferdecker said he took the pictures on Sept. 10, then was told later by a friend what he'd spotted. Video of his showed the spider outside a home on Mount Vernon Street in Beacon Hill, near Boston Common.
The spider was still perched on its web on Wednesday afternoon, and was even being ogled by passersby.
University of Georgia researcher Andy Davis, who has been tracking the spread of Joro spiders, confirmed that the spider is in Boston, which he told NBC10 Boston in an email is "the most northern sighting yet," and likely the result of the animal hitchhiking its way into Massachusetts.
"People shouldn't really panic, as they are quite harmless and shy," Davis said. "People should definitely photograph any joro spider they see and report it to www.jorowatch.org, so scientists can track their spread."
NBC10 Boston has reached out to MassWildlife for comment on the sighting, which Davis previously told the Boston Herald is the first in Massachusetts.
While this spider may be new to the Bay State, the species is likely not going anywhere. They human palm-sized creatures are likely to establish residence around East Coast, according to a recent peer-reviewed study conducted by David Coyle, a scientist and assistant professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University
But previous research from Davis and his colleagues offers consolation for anyone thinking of shipping out of Boston now that the Joro is here — they're exceedingly shy, don't have fangs long enough to pierce human skin even if they do try and bite a person and don't enjoy going inside homes.
