Sprawling spider web engulfs North Texas park trail

Chron.com ^ | ap

[Orange1998]

WILLS POINT — Entomologists are debating the origin and rarity of a sprawling spider web that blankets several trees, shrubs and the ground along a 200-yard stretch of trail in a North Texas park.

Officials at Lake Tawakoni State Park say the massive mosquito trap is a big attraction for some visitors, while others won't go anywhere near it.

"At first, it was so white it looked like fairyland," said Donna Garde, superintendent of the park about 45 miles east of Dallas. "Now it's filled with so many mosquitoes that it's turned a little brown. There are times you can literally hear the screech of millions of mosquitoes caught in those webs."

Spider experts say the web may have been constructed by social cobweb spiders, which work together, or could be the result of a mass dispersal in which the arachnids spin webs to spread out from one another.

"I've been hearing from entomologists from Ohio, Kansas, British Columbia — all over the place," said Mike Quinn, an invertebrate biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department who first posted photos online.

Herbert A. "Joe" Pase, a Texas Forest Service entomologist, said the massive web is very unusual.

"From what I'm hearing it could be a once-in-a-lifetime event," he said.

But John Jackman, a professor and extension entomologist for Texas A&M University, said he hears reports of similar webs every couple of years.

"There are a lot of folks that don't realize spiders do that," said Jackman, author of "A Field Guide to the Spiders and Scorpions of Texas."

"Until we get some samples sent to us, we really won't know what species of spider we're talking about," Jackman said.

Garde invited the entomologists out to the park to get a firsthand look at the giant web.

"Somebody needs to come out that's an expert. I would love to see some entomology intern come out and study this," she said.

Park rangers said they expect the web to last until fall, when the spiders will start dying off.

[irishtenor]

Spiders on speed. Cool.

[WestCoastGal]

A friend sent this to me today

A woman goes to the doctor for her yearly physical................................
The nurse starts with certain basic items:
“How much do you weigh?” she asks.
“115,” she says.
The nurse puts her on the scale.
It turns out her weight is 140.

The nurse asks, “Your height?”
“5 foot 8,” she says.
The nurse checks and sees that she only measures 5’ 5”.

She then takes her blood pressure.
And she tells the woman it is ‘very’ high.
“Of course it’s high!” she screams,
“When I came in here I was tall and slender!
Now I’m short and fat!”

[sdillard]

Here in the Bay Area, we have Orb Weavers. They start out tiny but continue to grow until they are up to an inch across...and that’s just the body. They build huge webs between objects; house and fence, tree and house, etc. they infest my lemon tree.

Thankfully, Terminix has brought justice.

[sdillard]

Here in the Bay Area, we have Orb Weavers. They start out tiny but continue to grow until they are up to an inch across...and that’s just the body. They build huge webs between objects; house and fence, tree and house, etc. they infest my lemon tree.

Thankfully, Terminix has brought justice.

[Sally'sConcerns]

Ping to ya about the spider webs in North Texas.

[aShepard]

” My preccciouss “!

[vox humana]

Spiders have decided in favor of a border fence...

Does that mean spiders are more intelligent than President Bush? LOL

[A_Tradition_Continues]

This is obviously a case of Global Webbing.

[tubebender]

Heck... I ran into a bigger one than that on my way to the bath room at 2 AM this morning. Funny thing was I didn’t notice going but it trapped me on my way back to bed...

[Eaker]

Hey!

Come here!

[1066AD]

Looks like fall webworms gone beserk, they’ve been very prolific this year in N. Texas.

[Orange1998]

webworms gone beserk

Can't wait to see the late night advertising to buy video. :(

[WestCoastGal]

Those are the worst kind. I had one hanging from the ceiling in front of my stove a few weeks ago. One wet paper towel and zappo garbage disposal....buh bye.

[Rushmore Rocks]

LOL.......sounds like my last “poke and prod”.

[tubebender]

This is obviously a case of Global Webbing.

Please seek help immediately...

[Crolis]

Actually the worst kind are the spiders who take drugs.

Observe this scientific documentary: Spiders on Drugs.

Warning: Video has some mild language, but is otherwise harmless.

[tubebender]

It got worse. I knew there was a spider after I got back in bed but it was only a scorpion...

[humblegunner]

Come here!

No.

[SouthTexas]

Yep. :)