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The inhabitants of Aitoliko took a strange surprise: the beaches were overwhelmed by these cobwebs.
Credit: Courtesy of Agrinionews.gr
The quiet beaches of Greece are an ideal destination for a summer getaway, especially if you are a hungry spider. The people of Aitoliko, an island village perched between two bridges in western Greece, have recently woken up to see their local beaches overtaken by the love of arachnids – and the results are so much more than Valentine's Day.
In a strange video posted yesterday (September 18) by YouTube user Giannis Giannakopoulos, you can see the strange fruits of the Greek spider festival in the form of a network of 300-meter long stripes. on the coast. The shrubs rise under the silk net. The palm fronds entangle in a bad day of unstoppable hair. And, below all else, spider pairs are busy building, eating and, of course, breeding.
The Greek news site Newsit.gr has asked a biology expert to look into this network of intrigues – and it turns out that this is not as unusual as & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; & nbsp; It seems. According to Maria Chatzaki, an associate professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Democritus University of Thrace, this is a seasonal phenomenon. [Goliath Birdeater: Images of a Colossal Spider]
"The phenomenon we observed at Aitoliko is not unprecedented," said Mr Chatzaki in an interview with Newsit (translated from Greek). "This is a seasonal phenomenon that occurs mainly in late summer and early fall and is caused by spiders of the genus Tetragnatha. "
Two spiders of the genus Tetragnatha.
Credit: D. Kucharski K. Kucharska / Shutterstock
Tetragnatha spiders are sometimes called "stretch spiders" for their long ovum bodies. They live around the world near aquatic habitats and are prolific web builders. These sites, which were also tweeted by Agrinionews.gr, Are good not only for capturing prey such as flies and mosquitoes, but also for nesting.
It is an ephemeral show, beautiful and somehow rude … Such is the nature of summer flights. [under these webs]"Mr. Chatzaki told Newsit." It is obvious that this results from favorable conditions which made it possible to create this overpopulation. "
Spiders of the genus Tetragnatha mate under these canvases.
Credit: Courtesy of Agrinionews.gr
The warm temperatures and high humidity of the Greek coast help to create strong mating conditions for spiders, as well as an abundance of prey in the form of mosquitoes, Chatzaki said. Aitoliko's loving spiders will likely continue to mate long enough to secure the next generation and die without causing lasting harm to humans or the environment.
Originally published on Live Science.
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