Non-native
Guides
Falconina gracilis
Falconina gracilis is a species of true spider in the family Corinnidae, a group commonly known as ground spiders or ant-mimicking spiders. It is native to South America, with established populations in Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. The species has been introduced to the United States and Cuba, where it occurs as a non-native species. Records from GBIF also indicate presence in Peru, Bolivia, and Uruguay.
Pristiphora rufipes
columbine sawfly
Pristiphora rufipes, commonly known as the columbine sawfly, is a non-native sawfly species native to central Europe that was first discovered in North America in Canada in 1963. It has since spread across the eastern seaboard to the Rocky Mountains, becoming a significant pest of columbine plants (Aquilegia spp.). Adult females use a saw-like ovipositor to insert eggs into leaf tissue, and the caterpillar-like larvae feed on columbine foliage, capable of completely defoliating plants. The species exhibits multiple generations per year in warmer regions, with two generations common in the mid-Atlantic and three or more in England.
Tenodera sinensis sinensis
Chinese praying mantis, Chinese mantis
Tenodera sinensis sinensis, the Chinese praying mantis, is a large non-native mantis in North America, first discovered in 1897 near Philadelphia, likely arriving as a stowaway in nursery stock from Asia. It has become one of the most well-known exotic mantids in the United States, recognized for its substantial size and effective predation on pest insects including the brown marmorated stink bug and spotted lanternfly. The species exhibits flexible hunting strategies that shift between active pursuit and ambush predation depending on satiety level. Adults typically appear in September, with females depositing brown, styrofoam-like egg cases (oothecae) on upright vegetation that overwinter and hatch in spring.
Trichonephila clavata
Jorō spider, Joro Spider, Parachute spider
Trichonephila clavata, commonly known as the Jorō spider, is a large orb-weaving spider native to East Asia that has become established as an invasive species in the southeastern United States since approximately 2010. First confirmed in Georgia in 2014, it has expanded rapidly across multiple states through a combination of ballooning dispersal and human-mediated transport. The species is notable for its substantial size, striking coloration, and extensive golden webs, but poses minimal risk to humans due to small fangs and docile behavior. Its physiological adaptations—including higher metabolic rate, faster heart rate, and greater cold tolerance than its congener Trichonephila clavipes—suggest potential for continued northward range expansion.
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