Check Your 2024 BINGO Card. Will Flying Spiders Invade Montana?

We are aware of the devastation that invasive species can do in Montana. We have been dealing with preventing invasive mussels from getting into our water for years now. Anyone with a boat, kayak, or even a SUP has diligently stopped at one of the various check stations that are scattered across the state during the summer months. Thankfully the efforts have paid off, as the stations have been effective at detecting vessels with these mussels attached.

Mussels don't seem very scary when you picture an invasive species. Take the big murder hornet scare that took place during the height of the COVID pandemic. Not only were we worried about a deadly virus, but news also broke of an invasive Japanese hornet that could take down birds and kill an entire honey bee colony.

Now we are hearing of another scary critter from the islands of Japan. Yet another invasive species has been reported in the US and it is even more scary than the murder hornet. We are talking about giant venomous spiders that are capable of flying. Talk about complete nightmare fuel.

The Joro Spider is native to East Asia and has been discovered in North America since 2010. These giant spiders can grow nearly 3 inches across and typically have a bright yellow body. They have been booming in population in the southeastern US for over a decade now. Reports have said that they have now begun to migrate to cooler climates as well as slowly moving westward. Partly because they can fly.

According to research from Clemson

The Joro spider’s pattern of spread suggests it is primarily driven by natural dispersal mechanisms, such as ballooning, a process by which spiders move through the air by releasing gossamer threads to catch the wind and go airborne, at the mercy of air currents and electric fields, although human-mediated transport cannot be discounted.

 

It may be quite a while before this invasive species gets anywhere near Montana. But don't be surprised if you one day spot a giant Japanese flying spider in your barn.

Think that sounds scary? Check out this list of other creepy crawlies.