But a new study from the University of Georgia may ease some of those concerns. Published by PLOS One, the study was co-authored by Valdosta State University's Erin Grabarczyk.

"In terms of direct competition for food, our study suggests Joro spiders eat different insects and a wider variety compared with native orb weavers," said Jason Schmidt, co-author of the study and a professor of entomology in UGA's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Joros prey largely on flies, other bugs native spiders don't eat

The researchers analyzed the stomach contents of more than 200 Joro spiders from 33 sites across Georgia and South Carolina. They compared DNA fragments found in the digestive tracts of these spiders with those from more than 140 native orb weavers across the two states.

While Joros do eat some of the same insects as orb weavers, the species' diets differed significantly, the study found. In fact, Joros preyed on 26 unique species that the native spiders didn't touch, including bugs such as leafhoppers and aphids.

Native spider species had the same diet regardless of whether Joros were present in the area, the study found. This finding suggests that Joros aren't necessarily making it more difficult for orb weavers to find their favorite snacks.