GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Research from Georgia Gwinnett College suggests that the invasive Joro spider in Georgia may carry a bacteria that could help control its population.
The study, led by Dr. James Russell and Dr. Chris Brown from Georgia Gwinnett College, in collaboration with Clemson University and Southern Adventist College, found that the Joro spider carries the Wolbachia bacteria, which can create reproductive barriers in spiders.
“Many arthropod species carry the Wolbachia bacteria, and we discovered the Joro spider is no exception,” said Dr. James Russell, professor of biology at GGC.
The bacterium Wolbachia creates reproductive barriers by sterilizing uninfected females when they mate with infected males.
If both partners are infected, they can reproduce, and only females can pass the bacterium to their offspring.
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Joro spiders were first discovered in Georgia 11 years ago and have spread rapidly due to their adaptability and lack of natural predators.
Their golden webs are a common sight in the fall, and females can lay up to 500 eggs at a time.
Dr. Russell emphasized the collaborative nature of the research, noting that partners from other institutions helped collect specimens, while the team at GGC extracted genetic material to better understand the spiders’ biology.
The discovery of Wolbachia in Joro spiders opens up potential for biological control methods that could extend beyond spiders to other pests like mosquitoes, offering a less harmful way to manage populations that pose health risks.
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