5 ms·

I know this article and the comments are pretty light about this, but I really do wonder what they eat and what we're eventually going to hear about being muscl

I know this article and the comments are pretty light about this, but I really do wonder what they eat and what we're eventually going to hear about being muscled out of the local ecosystems as a result of their success. At least their introduction wasn't intentional, which tbh is kind of scary in itself. Globalism: it's for spiders, too.

fjert 5y ago
All I could find is that we know they eat brown marmorated stink bugs[0]. "Joro spiders also appear to be able to capture and feed on at least one insect that other local spiders are not: adult brown marmorated stink bugs, an invasive pest that can infest houses and damage crops." [0] https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-are-here-to-stay/ https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-are-here-to-stay/
- buu700 5y ago
  How much would it cost to import more Joro spiders? I'll be writing to my local representatives immediately.
  - nneonneo 5y ago
    …and that’s how we end up with invasive species problems.
    - yissp 5y ago
      If they get out of hand, just bring in another species that preys on the spiders, problem solved :)
      - sundvor 5y ago
        Do you need any rabbits? Cheers from Australia
      - AutumnCurtain 5y ago
        That's the beauty of it. When winter rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.
        belval 5y ago
        For those that didn't watch the Simpsons, this is very relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuiK7jcC1fY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuiK7jcC1fY
      - 11thEarlOfMar 5y ago
        Just like the salmon brought into the Great Lakes to take on the alewives. Which were brought in to take on the zebra muscles[0]. Which came in [bilges from ships?]. I remember visiting the Lake Michigan dunes in Indiana in the 70s, only to encounter what appeared to the small me to be mountains of dead alewife. Ten years later, my grandfather took me salmon fishing there. I'd imagine that by now, the ecosystems of the Great Lakes bear little resemblance to what they contained 200 years ago. Sad in a way, but the whole of Earth seems destined to becoming a single, climate-based ecosystem. Island ecologies may survive for a few centuries, but the main continents are going to become very consistent, with all the world-champion species holding sway. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87843464 https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=878434...
    - neurostimulant 5y ago
      Can human be considered an invasive species? Everywhere humans go, ecosystem disruption will soon follow.
  - viraptor 5y ago
    Cane toads in Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toads_in_Australia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toads_in_Australia > In June 1935, 102 cane toads were imported to Gordonvale from Hawaii > Since their release, toads have rapidly multiplied in population and now number over 200 million (...) but also no evidence indicates that they have affected the cane beetles for which they were introduced to prey upon.
- jsnodlin 5y ago
  I would really appreciate if they ate the Japanese beetle as well. Those things really take a toll on my orchard in May/June
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
jwozn 5y ago
There is some good news there. From an article posted in a different comment: "Joros don’t appear to have much of an effect on local food webs or ecosystems, said Andy Davis, corresponding author of the study and a research scientist in the Odum School of Ecology. They may even serve as an additional food source for native predators like birds." [0] [0] https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-likely-to-spread-beyond-georgia/ https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-likely-to-spread-beyond-ge...
spyspy 5y ago
Spotted lanternflies with any luck
- Ericson2314 5y ago
  Yes was thinking the same. Tree of heaven -> lanternflies -> these spiders would be a pretty tight fable!
BirAdam 5y ago
Here in GA, there are already multiple types of orb weaver and these are in the same niche with one exception: they will also eat stink bugs. There are also many birds who eat the orb weavers and will also eat the Joros. They basically slide right in without too much serious impact.

fjert 5y ago

All I could find is that we know they eat brown marmorated stink bugs[0]. "Joro spiders also appear to be able to capture and feed on at least one insect that other local spiders are not: adult brown marmorated stink bugs, an invasive pest that can infest houses and damage crops." [0] https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-are-here-to-stay/ https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-are-here-to-stay/

buu700 5y ago
How much would it cost to import more Joro spiders? I'll be writing to my local representatives immediately.
- nneonneo 5y ago
  …and that’s how we end up with invasive species problems.
  - yissp 5y ago
    If they get out of hand, just bring in another species that preys on the spiders, problem solved :)
    - sundvor 5y ago
      Do you need any rabbits? Cheers from Australia
    - AutumnCurtain 5y ago
      That's the beauty of it. When winter rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.
      - belval 5y ago
        For those that didn't watch the Simpsons, this is very relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuiK7jcC1fY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuiK7jcC1fY
    - 11thEarlOfMar 5y ago
      Just like the salmon brought into the Great Lakes to take on the alewives. Which were brought in to take on the zebra muscles[0]. Which came in [bilges from ships?]. I remember visiting the Lake Michigan dunes in Indiana in the 70s, only to encounter what appeared to the small me to be mountains of dead alewife. Ten years later, my grandfather took me salmon fishing there. I'd imagine that by now, the ecosystems of the Great Lakes bear little resemblance to what they contained 200 years ago. Sad in a way, but the whole of Earth seems destined to becoming a single, climate-based ecosystem. Island ecologies may survive for a few centuries, but the main continents are going to become very consistent, with all the world-champion species holding sway. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87843464 https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=878434...
  - neurostimulant 5y ago
    Can human be considered an invasive species? Everywhere humans go, ecosystem disruption will soon follow.
- viraptor 5y ago
  Cane toads in Australia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toads_in_Australia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toads_in_Australia > In June 1935, 102 cane toads were imported to Gordonvale from Hawaii > Since their release, toads have rapidly multiplied in population and now number over 200 million (...) but also no evidence indicates that they have affected the cane beetles for which they were introduced to prey upon.
jsnodlin 5y ago
I would really appreciate if they ate the Japanese beetle as well. Those things really take a toll on my orchard in May/June
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

jwozn 5y ago

There is some good news there. From an article posted in a different comment: "Joros don’t appear to have much of an effect on local food webs or ecosystems, said Andy Davis, corresponding author of the study and a research scientist in the Odum School of Ecology. They may even serve as an additional food source for native predators like birds." [0] [0] https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-likely-to-spread-beyond-georgia/ https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-likely-to-spread-beyond-ge...

spyspy 5y ago

Spotted lanternflies with any luck

Ericson2314 5y ago
Yes was thinking the same. Tree of heaven -> lanternflies -> these spiders would be a pretty tight fable!

BirAdam 5y ago

Here in GA, there are already multiple types of orb weaver and these are in the same niche with one exception: they will also eat stink bugs. There are also many birds who eat the orb weavers and will also eat the Joros. They basically slide right in without too much serious impact.