US News Giant venomous flying spiders with 4-inch legs heading to New York area as they spread across East Coast, experts say

[The Helper]

First came the spotted lanternflies, then the cicadas — and now, the spiders? The Northeast U.S. is bracing for an invasion of giant venomous spiders with 4-inch-long legs that can parachute through the air.

Earlier this year, New Jersey Pest Control warned of the incoming spiders, saying Joro spiders will be "hard to miss" as females have a leg span of up to 4 inches and are known for their vibrant yellow and grey bodies.

"What sets them apart, however, is their ability to fly, a trait uncommon among spiders," the company said. "While not accurate flight in the avian sense, Joro spiders utilize a technique known as ballooning, where they release silk threads into the air, allowing them to be carried by the wind."

José R. Ramírez-Garofalo, an ecologist at Rutgers University's Lockwood Lab and the president of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods on Staten Island, told SI Live that "it is a matter of when, not if" the spiders arrive in New York and New Jersey.

Giant venomous flying spiders with 4-inch legs heading to New York area as they spread across East Coast, experts say

"It is a matter of when, not if" the spiders are set to arrive, experts say, and it could happen any day now.

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