Feb 3, 2012
Millions of spiders overrunning trees to escape floodwater
When floods hit Pakistan in 2010, spiders needed to move higher than the water just like every other creature. And so they climbed up into the trees. Despite being in a different habitat and being in extremely close quarters with fellow arachnids, they kept on spinning and weaving their webs…
An unexpected benefit to this odd phenomenon was that, despite all the stagnant pools left by the receding flood, the mosquito population was kept in check.
(via UK Dept of Intl Development, Ark in Space, Kuriositas)
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This is so gross; I think I would rather suffer a multitude of mosquito bites.
Not when those mosquitoes might carry diseases…
No way. I’ll take trees filled with spiders over mosquitos any day.
I agree. I still wouldn’t walk under the trees though….
This is amazing!
As long as I don’t have to climb into or mess with the trees, I agree Mosquitoes are much worse. But if I have to interact with those hellish trees I would rather enjoy Malaria haha.
Incredible. It makes me wonder if maybe this is mother nature looking out for us. Given the higher waters the Mosquito population might otherwise rapidly increase out of control but by driving the spiders higher it balances the equation. Mother Nature knows best!
Are you proposing some sort of conscious, feminine earth deity with foreknowledge of future events?
It makes me wonder if maybe this is mother nature looking out for us.”
By “us” I hope you’re not speaking of human beings. Like we are some divine creature with every living thing on earth sacrificing themselves so we can live on? Everything looks out for themselves. Get your head out of the clouds and enroll in Biology 101 at a nearby community college stat.
Mother Nature, or God?
Is Malariahaha a more virulent strain of the mosquito born disease?
Dude, give me spiders over skeeters anytime.
That is absolutely beautiful. I would give anything to have been there and seen the spiders in those trees. I love spiders. Nature’s weavers.
Wow! I thought gypsy moths and webworms were bad …. but these spiders are doing good things!
Amazing odd phenomenon, the spiders really know how to survive.
mmm spiders
I wonder if the trees survived having all that gunk covering them. Looks bad for photosynthesis.
Ay, somebody get my some gasoline and a blowtorch…