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Joro Spider

Nephila clavata

Published on Project Noah
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34.0965, -83.7613

Field Notes

Description:

A Japanese spider in GA?

Species ID Suggestions

Jorō Spider

Nephila clavata

Reference Link
SG in CR
4

Comments (16)
ThatBlueEyedGirl
If anyone is interested in the paper written on the Joro spider findings here in GA, they can find it here: https://peerj.com/articles/763/
ThatBlueEyedGirl
The second posting of the Joro spider in Hoschton, GA is from a relative of mine and both of the sightings were in the same location. I'm pretty sure these spiders were around the past year or two, but I discovered Project Noah less than a year ago.
QWMom
Someone else near you posted one too. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/38397041
SpiderJoe
Alternatively, send me your email, and I will get you in touch with Rick Vetter, the arachnologist who investigates such things. [email protected]
QWMom
Oh wow. I'll have to be on the lookout for these on my side of the state. :(
SpiderJoe
If you could send me your contact information, including your address, we'll have a local authority get in touch with you. Thanks! [email protected]
AshleyT
You may want to contact your local wildlife agency and send them these photos, they should know that it is there. I don't see any articles saying it has been found in the US before, so should tell people before it gets to be a problem species!
ThatBlueEyedGirl
Sigg that link you posted looks exactly like the spiders im finding in the yard! oh wow japanese spiders in GA
ThatBlueEyedGirl
Sure, post to facebook. There are quite a few of these very large spiders making huge webs in the backyard, would like to know what they are!
ForestDragon
Sigg, that exactly what it looks like to me! I am curious what it is doing in Georgia as well.
ForestDragon
May I post a link to this on Facebook? I am having difficulty finding a match. With such distinctive markings, I would have thought it would be easier to ID.
SG in CR
It's body shape looks a lot like a common Golden Orb Weaver (Nephila clavipes) but the coloring is different. So upon checking for other species of Nephila, I found that only N. claviceps is native to the United States. But it looks a lot like the Japanese species N. clavata. No idea what it's doing in Georgia. See the ID suggestion for a link to an image.
ForestDragon
Wow, what a beauty! Those images are helpful.
ThatBlueEyedGirl
The sunlight would not permit a photo of the spider's back when I was taking macro shots today. I have posted some (poor quality) photos I took with my phone a week or so ago.
ForestDragon
Do you have any more views? One of the dorsum (back) of the spider as well as a view of the whole spider could be very helpful.

Spotted for Missions

Spiders of the Southeast
Photographed
PublishedOctober 22, 2014

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