Joro spider
Trichonephila clavata, also known as the Joro spider (ジョロウグモ（女郎蜘蛛、上臈蜘蛛, Jorō-gumo), is a member of the Trichonephila genus. The spider can be found throughout Japan (except Hokkaidō), Korea, Taiwan, China. Due to its large size and the bright, unique colors of the female Trichonephila, the spider is well-favored in Japan.
Scientists confirmed the first known occurrence of T. clavata in North America in 2014, and as of October 2022, T. clavata's range spans at least 120,000 km2 (46,000 sq mi), occurring across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee, with additional reports in Alabama, Maryland, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. Its pattern of spread suggests it is primarily driven by natural dispersal mechanisms, such as ballooning, though human-mediated transport cannot be discounted.
In 2019, this species was moved from the genus Nephila to Trichonephila. T. clavata's congener Trichonephila plumipes is commonly found in Australia. It also was moved from Nephila to Trichonephila, along with 10 other species.
Jorōgumo is a legendary creature in Japanese folklore. A Jorōgumo is a spider who can change her appearance into that of a beautiful woman. She's said to breathe fire and to be able to control other spiders. She seeks men to seduce, whom she then binds in her silk and devours.
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Ov
OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
No
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
T
starts withTrichonephila clavata pass winter as eggs and scatter as tiny juveniles in the spring. The adult female's body size is 17–25 millimetres (0.67–0.98 in) while the male's is 7–10 millimetres (0.28–0.39 in).
The web of females may reach several meters in length. In sunlight, the yellow threads appear to be a rich gold color. The structure of the web seen in cross-section is unusual for an orb web; it has three layers: the central orb, plus two irregular layers in front and behind the orb.
The adult female individual has stripes of yellow and dark blue, with red toward the rear of the abdomen. In autumn, smaller males may be seen in the webs of the females for copulating. After mating, the female spins an egg sack on a tree, laying 400 to 1500 eggs in one sack. Her lifecycle ends by late autumn or early winter with the death of the spider. The next generation emerges in spring.
Although the spider is not aggressive, they will bite to protect themselves. The bite is considered painful, but not life-threatening.
