Giant, poisonous Joro spiders that can 'parachute' 160 km are probably en route to Quebec

Just when you thought you could coast through summer after battling Mother Nature all winter long, giant venomous spiders have come a knockin' on Quebec's door — and they could traipse into town soon, bringing thick webs and painful bites along with them.

The back-and-yellow creatures with long legs and abdomens the size of grapes are called Joro spiders. Each one is around 7 centimetres long. Though native to Asia, MétéoMédia and The Weather Network reported that the invasive species was introduced to North America by accident around 2014.

Given they adapt super well to their environments, and following "favourable conditions that allowed for a population boom in 2021," Joro spiders apparently seem to be "everywhere" in Georgia this time of year, The Weather Network says.

And with these spiders come their large, sticky, three-metre-thick webs — clinging to porches, branches, power lines and traffic lights — which Joros use as parachutes that can transport them as far as 160 kilometres, in a manner almost similar to flying or sailing through the sky.

In addition to Georgia, Joro spiders have been seen in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee so they are mainly in the southeastern United States. But according to MétéoMédia and The Weather Network, they've also been spotted as far away as Maryland, and their presence is spreading.

That's why experts are predicting that the spiders could move north and pass into Canada, likely reaching southern Quebec.

The good news is that they probably wouldn't stay here too long. They don't do well in cold weather and their eggs most likely wouldn't survive Canadian winters, research scientist Andrew Davis told The Weather Network.

When it comes to the pros and cons of Montreal winters, that's one heck of a pro.

While Joros are considered "aggressive" — unafraid of bustling cities — with bites that hurt as much as bee stings, their poison is not strong enough to cause humans any serious harm. Even then, they don't tend to bite people without a reason.

They're also big enough that they can't sneak up on you and are anti-social, meaning it's highly unlikely they would actually enter your home. Plus, they scare off mosquitoes and other bugs making them natural pesticides.

Wait a minute. Are Joro spiders actually kind of... cool? Perhaps. But some cool things are best appreciated from a distance.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.