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Parachuting spiders the size of your palm are making their way across the East Coast

Originally from Asia, the Joro spider is moving north, but don’t worry — the creature is not interested in hurting people.

FILE - The Joro spider, a large spider native to East Asia, is seen in Johns Creek, Ga., on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. Researchers say the large spider that proliferated in Georgia in 2021 could spread to much of the East Coast. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz, File) (Alex Sanz, Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Oh, what a tangled web they’re weaving.

The Joro spider, which hails from Asia and was first spotted in Georgia about 10 years ago, is expected to make its way up the East Coast this spring, according to scientists at the University of Georgia.

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The spiders have spread across the southeastern part of the country, thanks to parachute-like silks and their habit for attaching themselves to cars.

“They can survive the cold better,” University of Georgia research scientist Andrew Davis told TODAY in an interview that aired Thursday. “They have a higher metabolism, they have a higher heart rate. So, we put all that together, and we figured that this species will probably be able to exist outside of the southeastern U.S.”

The Joro spider is quite large, growing up to 3 inches from end to end, which is roughly the size of someone’s palm. That, combined with the creature’s bright yellow, blue and red colors and fearsome looking webs, may scare people, but experts say these arachnids are not here to hurt us.

For more, go to TODAY.com.


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