Giant spiders are going to invade the East Coast

Large doesn't equal poisonous. Are they actually poisonous or just big? If it's the latter it's no big deal.

R1, they are GIANT, PARACHUTING spiders, is that not scary enough for you?

I'll see you bitches later, I'm moving to flyover country.

What a weirdo OP is.

When shitty B-movies turn out to be prophetic!

R2

What does parachuting mean? They fly? Oh hell no.

Link? Not enough details, OP

Three inches long, and too weak to penetrate. Rather like OP

r5 meh, it's better than bagworm infestations.

I've never watched the movie Arachnophobia OP because I don't even want to see them. YIKES that would be my worst nightmare. I didn't even want to watch the Brady Bunch episode with the tarantula.

[quote]Giant spiders are going to invade the East Coast

Are they really giant?

Never watched Charlotte's Web either, even the Julia Roberts version.

Isn’t that actually called “expanding Florida suburban sprawl”?!

r11 not really. They're just more of a nuisance than the bigger natives that tend to keep their distance and camouflage better. As they're not native to the states, they periodically experience invasive periods. They've been "invading" for a few years now... they just got here quicker than the bees did.

They better stay off the trees, I don't want one landing on my head. UGH!

Where are they coming from?

They’re beautiful

r17 They seem to thrive in Georgia. So, I suspect it's mostly from there. Researchers theorize they came aboard shipping transport but it's just as likely a hobbyist bought a couple and it escaped or was discarded. It doesn't take much for a species to spread. In most cases, tho, it's often a combination of things and frequently govt wildlife and rangers reacting to slow, if at all.

"Where are they coming from?"

Fort Lee, New Jersey, Rose.

I don’t want a giant spider on me or anything, but they don’t generally freak me out. I do understand OP’s phobia—I am the same way about toads/frogs. They disgust me and I would pass out if I was around a Bunch of them. It’s weird…snakes and lizards don’t bother me, and I’ve even held both of those, but I’d never touch a fucking frog!

r21 the souls of ex-lovers and bad one night stands coming back to harass you for a kiss?

Maybe r22, but I’ve had frog phobia as long as I can remember. Even as a little kid. Maybe some bad dates from past lives??

r23 They are disturbing creatures if one really thinks about it. . . such as bullfrogs and their attempts to eat virtually anything while it's still alive. Which likely explains Kermit and Miss Piggy's relationship.

The Frogtown series makes them out to be depraved predators, too.

but add some salt to frog legs and they'll dance for you

I'm in flyover country OP and GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE! We have tarantulas out here!

I'm arachnophobic myself and I'd prefer ground tarantulas and large spiders to the parachuting kind, though. Still, flyover country is probably not where you want to be if you want to avoid spidey situations.

Boo!

Boo!!

R21 & OP, I love spiders and never kill one, but I understand; my play daughter is beyond scared of spiders, while I will go into orbit and practically levitate if I see a worm. Which sucks because I love gardening.

I want to Mary! the frog and worm phobics, but I totally understand and agree with OP. Giant spiders freak me out.

[quote]my play daughter

FUCKING pedo.

These are pretty common in Australia. Harmless but still 'oddly terrifying'.

Some frogs are adorable.

R31 OMG!

I saw spiders that had legs like that but different bodies in central America and they looked really scary, I have no idea if they were dangerous or not but I stayed the fuck away from them. I wouldn't say I was SCARED of spiders as such but I definitely do not like them or want them anywhere near me, so the thought of these bad boys parachuting in on me would not be appealing.

They won’t survive here. Our winters will kill them.

r35 Not really.

Record one your fits OP and post it for us to see. Use twitter or something. Wear your best caftan. Try not to break a hip.

R31 that is a biggish huntsman. I've had those run all over me including on my face. Harmless though, dont bother me

Had one bigger than that at home a while back. Partner insisted on killing it, I wanted to keep it and give it a name

r34 did they bite you and give you an erection?

We have orb weaver spiders here that look like the ones in the article.

Oh, Lord. Our native spiders must be scared to death!

[quote]my play daughter

[quote]FUCKING pedo.

She's 26, R30.

Spiders I don't mind. Snakes on the other hand, I'm outta there!

Spiders are terrified of things bigger than them and will try to escape, some snakes will take you on as a challenge!

For those of us who don’t speak Black Southern what the hell is a “play daughter,” r45? Is she imaginary?

[quote]Fort Lee, New Jersey, Rose.

Specifically, the home of Mr. Richard Feder.

This thread gave me a nightmare last night. I dreamed spiders were all over my bedroom and I couldn't get rid of them.

MARY!!!!!

It's called "fictive kinship," R48.

I have no biospawn, but I've dozens of play sons and daughters who mostly started out as young associates, many of whom feel closer to me than their own parents. It's such a special bond--elective affinities, as it were.

The one I referred to @R28 went from a brilliant but  ignored square peg 16 year old when we met; now she's an attorney in NY, and has just passed her solicitors qualifying exams in London.

And she's still terrified of spiders🤭

R50, you remind me of a great episode of [italic]Murdoch Mysteries,[/italic] "Murdochophobia."

Maybe they'll be a predator of the spotted lantern fly, which is becoming common in my area. They are very destructive to trees and have no known predators.