AN invasive species of flying venomous spiders will soon invade a major US city and experts are sharing which features point out the poisonous ones.
Residents in New York and New Jersey are bracing for the arrival of the Joro spider, a species of giant arachnid known to fly around.
"What sets them apart... is their ability to fly, a trait uncommon among spiders," a spokesperson for New Jersey Pest Control told CBS News.
"While not accurate flight in the avian sense, Joro spiders utilize a technique known as ballooning, where they release silk threads into the air, allowing them to be carried by the wind."
The creatures have been spreading around the eastern seaboard and are heading to the Northeast.
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Female Joro spiders have leg spans of up to four inches and are known to use their silk webs to create balloon shapes that can carry them through the air.
The trait makes them easy to identify, along with their bright yellow and gray bodies.
The spiders are typically found in East Asia but the Joro was spotted in North America in Georgia in 2010.
It's widely believed the insect hitched a ride on shipping containers entering the country.
Since then, they've been found in Florida, the Carolinas, Ohio, Maryland, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The northern climate is a perfect home for Joro spiders, according to experts.
Because of this, many believe they'll start popping up in New York City.
"It's a matter of when, not if," said José R. Ramírez-Garofalo, an ecologist at Rutgers University's Lockwood Lab.
The spiders have been known to hang from telephone poles and street lamps, said David Coyle, an invasive species expert.
"They seem to be OK with living in a city," he added.
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Despite the creatures being venomous, experts say they aren't lethal to humans or animals.
They're mostly known for eating other spiders and bugs.
"We have no evidence that they've done any damage to a person or a pet," said Coyle.
Due to the creatures' small mouths, the bites are more comparable to a bee sting.
The arachnids are not considered to be a safety concern.
However, anyone who is squeamish at the thought of these bugs doesn't have to worry about them for long.
As the weather gets colder, the spiders are expected to die off by late November.
