Once it spreads, it is difficult to be completely controlled
Do you believe that spiders can also "fly"? A venomous spider from Asia, up to eight inches (about 20 centimeters), is spreading wildly to North America and is approaching Canada step by step!
This spider is called the Bride Spider, also known as the "Bride", the Girl Spider, etc., and the English commonly known as the "Joro spider". Not only are they amazingly large, but they also "fly"!
The spider itself is scary enough, or the giant spider that can fly, sounds even more creepy.
The spider, which usually inhabits Japan, South Korea and China, was first spotted in Georgia in the southeastern United States in 2013. They didn't really have wings to fly across the ocean, they probably came to the U.S. in a shipping container.
Once they escape, they begin to settle in their new environment. Since then, the number and range of brides in Georgia has steadily expanded, with the growth in the last two years being particularly staggering.
Brendon Larson, an invasive species expert, said in an interview: "There are still many unknowns about this spider. At the moment, they do not appear to be much of a threat to humans, but their potential impact on ecosystems should not be underestimated. Of course, factors such as climate change have a more serious impact on ecosystems. ”
The biggest concern is, is it really eight inches long? The answer is, really! This spider can be up to eight inches long. However, while their size is impressive, according to experts, they do not pose a threat to humans and pets.
They are indeed poisonous, but this poison is mainly used against small insects. Moreover, their mouths can't bite through our skin at all, so you can rest assured.
Then there's the question: do they really fly in the air? The answer is a bit complicated.
You may have heard of the Stick Bride spider moving by "balloon floating". It is a way of migrating spiders that release silk threads that are carried into the air with the help of the wind, thus crossing long distances.
But it's important to note that this isn't what adult spiders do, it's baby spiders. So, we don't see giant spiders flying in the air, which only happens in horror movies.
So, what impact will the Rodweed Bride Spider have on the local ecosystem? In Georgia, these spiders appear to be displacing some native spider species, but the exact ecological impact remains to be seen.
Larson mentions that the rod-roof bride spider may have built larger webs to catch more insects because of its larger size. But he stressed that the Bride Spider does not eat other spiders, so there is no need to worry about the serious threat they pose to other spider species.
As for whether the Bride Spider will appear in Canada, the current situation is that the spider has not yet been found in Canada, but they have reached West Virginia and Washington, D.C., and experts are studying whether they will continue to spread north.
While we can't predict exactly when they'll arrive in Canada, it's best to be prepared, Larson said.
And finally, if the Bride Spider does come to Canada, what can we do? It's a little tricky. Larson says we can take measures on a local scale, such as eliminating a few spiders near our homes. But overall, there's not much we can do. This spider, once it spreads, is very difficult to control completely.
So, to sum up, while the arrival of cinnabar spiders may sound a bit worrying, they are not as scary as the monsters in some horror movies. They are largely harmless to humans, and their impact on ecosystems remains to be seen.
So, friends of Canada, are you ready for these new neighbors?