1000 feet giant spider webs throughout the lagoon in Greece: Animals: Nature World News

Sep 20, 2018 7:39 pm EDT

The beautiful beaches of Greece have been transformed into a strange landscape invaded by spiders as a massive spider web spreads all over the shoreline.

A shocking spider invasion

Most people encounter cobwebs one at a time, perhaps a handful in one day. In a quiet lagoon in Greece, the surrounding inhabitants were treated on their land entirely covered with arachnid silk.

Residents of the picturesque city of Aitoliko, Greece, woke up on Monday, September 17, with a strange sight: a 1,000-foot blanket of cobwebs covering the entire east coast of the lagoon, according to the Daily Hellas.

Νυχτερίδες κι αράχνες στο Αιτωλικό – https://t.co/w1n4ievrtf pic.twitter.com/LR6h6uGy9P – agrinionews (@AgrinioNews) September 19, 2018

The mating season stimulates the activity of the sudden spider

Some locals attribute the sudden emergence of spiders to the increase in mosquito numbers in the days leading up to the phenomenon.

BBC News reports that while it may sound horrible for those suffering from arachnophobia, it is a seasonal phenomenon caused by the genus Tetragnatha spiders. After all, these types of spiders are known to build very large nests for their breeding season.

Scientists say that arachnids only enjoy the good weather and the availability of food, taking advantage of the opportunity to "party".

"They mate, they reproduce and provide a whole new generation," says Maria Chatzaki, a professor of molecular biology and genetics at the Democritus University of Thrace, as translated by BBC News.

According to Live Science, Chatzaki says there are spider populations under these huge bands.

Learn more about Tetragnatha spiders

Such an incident is not totally unknown at Aitoliko because the phenomenon is known to be seasonal. Tetraflathae spiders often mate in summer and early fall. The temperature, the humidity and the abundance of mosquitoes of the coastal city create the ideal mating conditions for spiders.

Fortunately, for people who do not know it, the spider festival is not dangerous for people and the environment.

"These spiders are not dangerous to humans and will not cause any damage to the flora of the region," she says. "The spiders will have their party and will die soon."

Tetragnatha spiders, live science reports, are known for their long, ovular bodies, even nicknamed "stretch spiders" because of this. They frequent areas around the world, but often stay in habitats near water. Their large, thick canvases are suitable not only for mating, but also for nesting and prey capture.