Fields of Web: The Rare Occasion When Spiders Take Over

Spider webs and the 8 legged creatures which wove them might be some of the scariest things out there. For some people, at least. However, there are levels to spider webs and the rare phenomenon called “ballooning” will make you think twice before approaching one of these castles of silk.

Trees cocooned by spider webs in Pakistan. Image source: DFID – UK Department for International Development
Spiders usually create webs to trap their prey and to protect their eggs. Furthermore, they can also use webs as a way of transport, by climbing to an elevated point and then release one or more strands of silk which then get caught by the breeze and flies them away.

But what happens when spiders are forced to leave the safety of the ground? Well, their best shot is to seek shelter in elevation. This is called ballooning, and it usually happens as a consequence of floodings. It is extremely rare and quite fascinating.

The picture you see above was taken in Pakistan during a monsoon that caused extreme floodings, driving spiders into trees, covering them in spider webs as a result.