Huge flying SPIDERS are spotted in Northeast for first time - with anyone who sees one urged to stomp it to death
Huge spiders that can fly have been spotted in Pennsylvania, prompting warnings they should be killed on sight.
The Joro spiders are not native to the United States, and little is known about what damage they could cause local ecosystems.
They'd previously been spotted in Georgia but have now made inroads into the northeast, sparking fears they'll soon be prevalent in one of the United States' most densely-populated corners.
Pennsylvania State University spider expert Michael Skvarla told The Philadelphia Inquirer 'the best course of action is to kill them when they're found.'
But it is important, he said, to take pictures of the spider to report it to labs, who are tracking the species around the United States.
While it's important for these spiders to be killed, Skvarla said they don't pose much risk to the public.
Huge Joro spiders have been spotted in Pennsylvania, prompting warnings they should be killed on sight
'They're not very venomous at all, and they're very reluctant biters,' he said.
'Even if you pick them up, they might bite in defense if you grab one, but the fangs are so small that it's hard for them to pierce human skin despite their large size.'
Joro spiders are native to China, India, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam.
They were identified in Georgia in 2013, and there were concerns as early as June of this year that they'd migrated to Pennsylvania. But at that point, those spiders were identified as different species.
Joro spiders are native to China, India, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam
On September 5, the first known Joro spider was located in Bucks County.
These spiders have the ability to 'balloon' - which allows them to travel long distances by releasing silk and parachuting from one location to another.
This gives the illusion that they're 'flying' through the air.
