Northeast
'No need to be afraid' of 'venomous flying spiders,' expert says
Reports of “venomous flying spiders” poised to invade the United States may seem scary to some, but multiple spider experts told Fox News Digital this week that, while there’s cause for concern, there is no threat to humans or pets.
The Joro spider, an invasive species originally from Asia, was first officially sighted in the United States about 10 years ago, Dr. David Nelsen, a professor in the Biology and Allied Health Department at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee, said in a phone interview.
Nelsen published a research paper on the spread of Joro spiders in 2023.
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“I think that we should be worried, because it’s invasive, and they look like they’re having an effect on the ecosystem,” Nelsen said.
Yet in terms of the safety of humans, pets and property, these spiders do not pose much, if any, of a threat at all, he said.
Joro spiders are native to Asia but have recently made their way to the United States, an expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“They’re more of a nuisance than anything,” Nelsen said. “They’re going to decorate your house with webs. They tend to like to aggregate together in these large communities. And that can bother people.”
Their large size — their legs can grow up to 4 inches — can be unsettling for people who do not like spiders, he added.
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“But as far as venom is concerned, you’re not hearing reports from China and Korea about envenomations and risk,” Nelsen said. “They’re really not aggressive spiders.”
Joro spiders “look more scary than they actually are.”
Joro spiders “look more scary than they actually are,” Allan Bossel, operations expert at Florida-based Bed Bug Exterminator, told Fox News Digital.
“They definitely are big, and they can catch all kinds of things in your yard, like flies and wasps, but also bees and butterflies,” said Bossel, who specializes in general insect control, according to the company’s website.
While the Joro spiders, like the vast majority of spider species, have venom glands, that venom does not pose a danger to humans or pets, Bossel said.
Joro spiders have venom, but they do not pose a danger to humans or pets. (iStock)
“That venom is for their prey and doesn’t really harm people or pets,” he said.
Joro spiders are “incredibly docile,” Dr. David R. Coyle, an assistant professor at Clemson University in South Carolina, told Fox News Digital in an email. He’s published research on Joro spiders.
“I’ve handled dozens of them (and my kids have handled them) with absolutely zero ill effects,” he said.
What’s more, it is not even certain that the “mouthparts” of a Joro spider can even break human skin, he said.
It is unclear how these spiders made their way to the U.S., but one expert suspects an egg sac hitched a ride on a shipping container.
“In my opinion, there’s no need to be afraid of them,” Coyle said.
“That said,” he continued, “arachnophobia is a thing and some folks may have a genuine fear of Joro spiders (and other spiders, for that matter).”
Orb weaver spiders, like Joro spiders, are also “extremely unlikely” to be found indoors, Bossel said.
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Today, Joro spiders can be found throughout much of the southern U.S.; there is also said to be a “satellite” population in Baltimore.
It is unclear how these spiders made their way to the U.S., but Nelsen suspects an egg sac hitched a ride on a shipping container.
Their population is, however, likely to continue growing and spreading across the country.
“They look like they can spread pretty wide across the United States, especially in the East,” Nelsen said. “I think we’ve kind of lost the war at this point, in terms of stopping it altogether.”
“While our research shows they can likely survive in the Northeast, they aren’t there yet.”
Coyle concurred, but added that the timeline of the spiders’ journey northward was still very unclear.
“While our research shows they can likely survive in the Northeast, they aren’t there yet (outside of a small population near Baltimore),” he said.
Someone who encounters a Joro spider should use the “tried and true method of ‘squash’” to eliminate the pest, one expert said. (iStock)
“We have no idea whatsoever if or when they’ll make it up there,” noted Coyle.
Still, humans can — and should — do what they can to prevent their spread.
“There’s the tried-and-true method of ‘squash,’” Nelsen told Fox News Digital.
“Certainly, the average citizen, if you see [a Joro spider], you can kill it,” he said.
“The best way to eradicate them would be to target egg sacs.”
Coyle agreed, telling Fox News Digital that the arachnids are “soft-bodied and relatively easy to either move or dispatch, should the homeowner choose to do so.”
Part of the reason the spiders have been able to establish a population in the U.S. is due to their “live-fast, die-free” lifestyle, Nelsen said.
“They grow really, really quickly, they reproduce, and then the female lays an egg sac and basically dies,” he said.
The spiders themselves do not survive the winter, but the egg sacs can and do, he said.
“They’re kind of cryptic, so they’re hard to spot,” Nelsen said. “The best way to eradicate them would be to target egg sacs.”
The Joro spider, a large spider native to East Asia, is seen in Johns Creek, Georgia, on Oct. 24, 2021. Populations of the species have been growing in parts of the South and East Coast for years now, and many researchers think it’s only a matter of time before they spread to much of the continental U.S. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz, File)
As for reports that the spiders are “flying,” Nelsen said that is “kind of misleading.”
Joro spiders, like many spider species, “disperse by ballooning,” he said.
This means they cast a thread into the air that is picked up by air currents.
However, this happens when the spiders are very small, not in their full-grown adult size.
“They’re not dispersing as these really large adults,” Nelsen said. “They’re dispersing as these tiny millimeter-sized spiders, as basically fresh babies.”
When the spiders land, they will then grow to their adult size.
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“You’re never going to see a ginormous spider fly in and smack you in the face, or something like that,” he said.
“These are tiny little spiders that you wouldn’t even know. This is happening all the time.”
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In his inaugural address, Mayor Corey O’Connor promised to pull Pittsburgh out of financial troubles and turn the city around.
He says he’ll make tough decisions to cut costs, improve services and strengthen public safety by rebuilding the Pittsburgh police force. And he says he won’t manage decline but push for growth with new development Downtown and in the neighborhoods.
He says he wants Pittsburgh to believe in itself again.
“Our city has become a culture of we can’t, we won’t — a culture of no,” O’Connor said. “Now, it’s time to change Pittsburgh’s culture, both how we feel about ourselves and how the world sees us. It’s time to become a city of hope and optimism where your dreams can come true. A Pittsburgh where each and every time we can, we get to yes.”
O’Connor says he and his administration are set to hit the ground running, meaning you won’t be seeing him much at city hall.
“I don’t like sitting behind the desk. The mayor’s job shouldn’t be behind the desk eight hours a day. It needs to be out in the community, hearing from people about what they want to see in Pittsburgh,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor already has plans of his own to address the city’s financial crisis and turn Pittsburgh around. With a failing fleet, understaffing and runaway overtime coupled with Downtown building assessments in free fall, he believes you can’t continue to raise taxes and manage decline. Instead, he will push a decidedly pro-growth agenda, incentivizing the building of new housing and converting Downtown offices to residential.
“Making sure that we come out strong with our growth plan,” O’Connor said. “Can we have a Downtown fund that helps bridge these gaps so that some of these buildings happen a lot quicker? Can we streamline permitting? We hear about permitting from everyone.”
As mayor, he says he’ll unveil a plan to revitalize the neighborhoods by encouraging small businesses to take over empty storefronts. And, he has already reached out to the city’s major nonprofits to help with payments in lieu of taxes.
“Word is that you already have some sort of rough agreement with UPMC to buy ambulances?” KDKA-TV’s Andy Sheehan asked.
“I can’t say for certain that everything is done,” O’Connor said. “We’ve met with the nonprofits to have those detailed conversations. What can they do to benefit the city?”
Before COVID, Pittsburgh had become the darling of the national and international press as a city on the move that had transformed itself, rising from the ashes of the steel industry. O’Connor says he wants Pittsburgh to get its mojo back.
“As the mayor, you have to be the biggest cheerleader of this city and this region, calling companies all over the country and the world and say, ‘have you thought about Pittsburgh?’” O’Connor said.
And he says there will be no greater chance to jumpstart the city than to take advantage of the upcoming NFL draft.
“If we get more people seeing Pittsburgh, and there’s going to be 50 million eyes on us that week, now we get a chance to tell our story. And I think that helps us turn the tide and believing in Pittsburgh again and putting us on the national stage.”
The Greater Danbury area isn’t exactly known as a buffet hotspot, but if you’re willing to venture beyond your zip code, the state delivers some awe-inspiring all-you-can-eat experiences. A recent “Only In Your State” feature crowned one buffet as the best in Connecticut — and that raised a very local question: Do any buffets near Danbury compare?
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The Top 5 Buffets in Connecticut
Topping the statewide list is the Pacific Buffet & Grill in Wallingford, celebrated by Only In Your State as Connecticut’s best. This place is the gold standard, known for its huge seafood selection, sushi bar, hibachi grill, and sheer variety. Crab legs, shrimp, steak, noodles — it’s all here, and it’s why people happily drive across the state for it.
Other standout buffets earning consistent praise include Osaka Hibachi Buffet in Stratford, loved for its cleanliness and sushi options, and Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet in South Plainfield, which boasts hundreds of rotating items and a popular cook-to-order hibachi station. Rounding out the top five are Imperial China Buffet in Watertown a dependable classic, and Royal Buffet Sushi and Grill in New Milford, which is especially important for Greater Danbury diners.
So… What About Buffets Near Danbury?
Here’s the honest truth: Danbury doesn’t have a Pacific-level buffet. But there are a couple of respectable local options. Grand Century Buffet at 1 Padanaram Road remains the city’s most familiar buffet, offering a wide selection at reasonable prices. It’s not flashy, but it gets the job done.
Meanwhile, Agogo Asian & Sushi Buffet, 15-19 Backus Ave., has earned strong reviews for quality — especially sushi — even if the buffet itself is smaller than the state’s heavy hitters.
The Bottom Line
If you’re chasing Connecticut’s best buffet, it’s worth the drive. But if you’re staying local, New Milford and Danbury still offer solid options that satisfy the all-you-can-eat craving without a road trip.
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A major cryptocurrency ATM operator will pay $1.9 million to Maine residents who were defrauded by scammers using the company’s kiosks, according to a consent agreement with the state.
The agreement, between Bitcoin Depot and the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection, follows a two-year investigation that included the Office of the Maine Attorney General. It was signed in December and announced Monday.
Bitcoin Depot is based in Atlanta and operates over 25,000 kiosks in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Mexico and Hong Kong, according to its website. The company operated about 80 unlicensed kiosks in Maine — until the state passed emergency legislation in June to regulate virtual currency ATMs.
Bitcoin Depot’s website no longer lists kiosks in Maine. “They’ve been gone since last summer,” said Linda Conti, bureau superintendent.
Most of the company’s machines were in York, Cumberland, Kennebec and Penobscot counties, Conti said.
It’s unclear how many Mainers have been scammed through Bitcoin Depot kiosks, exactly where they were located or how much money each victim might receive.
“We will not know how much each refund will be until we have received and reviewed all of the claims,” according to information posted on the bureau’s website.
Claims must be filed on or before April 1, 2026, and may be submitted online. The bureau will begin issuing refunds in May.
INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY
The bureau said the scams involved transactions made at Bitcoin Depot kiosks, where people purchased cryptocurrency and deposited it into “unhosted wallets” provided by third-party fraudsters.
An unhosted wallet is a type of digital wallet that is hosted and controlled by a user, rather than by a financial institution, money transmitter, exchange or other virtual asset service provider.
Although Bitcoin Depot no longer has kiosks in Maine,nearly 100 other cryptocurrency ATMs are still operating across the state, Conti said, including CoinFlip, CoinStar and Coinme machines.
In March 2023, bureau investigators found that Bitcoin Depot kiosks in Maine appeared to provide money transmission functions and invited the company to apply for a money transmitter license, according to the consent agreement.
The company applied for a license that month, but the application wasn’t deemed complete until February 2025 and was denied in April 2025. Bitcoin Depot appealed the decision in May.
In July 2025, the bureau provided Bitcoin Depot with a list of consumer transactions at its kiosks in which Maine consumers may have suffered financial loss and harm as a result of third-party fraudsters.
As part of the consent agreement, Bitcoin Depot must send a $1.9 million check to Maine’s attorney general by Feb. 2 and has agreed to fully comply with Maine’s consumer protection laws as a now-licensed money transmitter.
Bitcoin Depot is still licensed to transmit funds in Maine through online transactions, Conti said.
The bureau continues to investigate other cryptocurrency kiosk operators, she said. “The kiosks are where the trouble happens,” Conti said.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
Gov. Janet Mills praised the bureau for securing an agreement with Bitcoin Depot “that will put money back into the pockets of Maine people who were defrauded by predatory third-party scammers.”
Mills urged all Mainers “to talk with their loved ones about the threats of scammers and precautions to take to avoid these cruel and often sophisticated schemes.”
Maine has recently adopted laws that protect consumers from third-party scammers, including the Maine Money Transmission Modernization Act, which the governor signed in 2024.
In June 2025, Mills also signed emergency legislation that limits daily transmission amounts from virtual currency kiosks, caps fees and exchange rates, and provides redress for consumers.
“Maine’s new consumer protection laws have allowed us to reach this consent agreement,” Conti said. “Whenever you have new technologies, you’re going to have people who are vulnerable and need to be protected.”
The laws include an unhosted wallet provision, which requires money transmitters to employ new technologies to ensure that Maine consumers own and control their virtual wallets.
To be eligible for a portion of the $1.9 million, claimants must have been a Maine resident between 2022 and 2025; used a Bitcoin Depot kiosk in Maine during that period to convert cash to cryptocurrecy; and deposited the cryptocurrency into an unhosted wallet provided by a scammer or third-party fraudster.
The full consent agreement and FAQs for consumers are available on the bureau’s website. For more information call 800-332-8529 or 207-624-8527.
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