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Although not too frequent, spider rains are a phenomenon that occurs in various parts of the world, but particularly in countries such as Brazil and Australia. Therefore, the times that it happens, it does not surprise its inhabitants very much, but it does surprise the rest of the world.
In this article by Ecologist Verde we talk about the rain of spiders, strange but real and, furthermore, it is not the only rain of animals there is. Keep reading and know what is a shower of spiders and why does it happen.
What is a shower of spiders - the scientific explanation
A spider rain is a unusual phenomenon in which instead of falling drops of water, spiders fall. Although this phenomenon is popularly known as a shower of spiders, the truth is that it is not a meteorological event, it is not a rain, since spiders do not fall from the sky, but they move in their cobwebs when conditions are favorable (strong winds and humidity). This event has occurred several times in Brazil and Australia. Here we explain how it happens.
Spider rain: why it happens
The origin is due to the fact that the most common spider species in these rains (Parawixia bistriata) is capable of weaving webs so fine that they are truly difficult for the human eye to see. These spiders live among the vegetation forming a kind of ball during the day, and it is at night when they come out to build these huge nets connected to trees and shrubs. These nets can measure between four meters wide and three meters thick.
Once these webs are woven, the spiders are able to use fragments of their webs as a kind of parachute or balloons that allow them to move to distant places thanks to the action of the wind. This phenomenon is called "balloning" or "kitting" and they are kind of mass spider migration, which occurs even miles away. The spiders fall in the form of flakes and people know them as spider rain and the flakes come to cover the fields, like angel hair. Over time, the fields and trees begin to turn white, as they are covered by cobwebs.
These spiders are usually social beings so they live in large groups or all very close together and it is believed that "balloning" occurs only when the weather conditions are suitable for their mass movements, that is, only when favorable winds take place. . Another theory holds that most of these spiders will perish on the way, due to predators or the weather. However, it is so effective that the spiders that survive are enough to repopulate this new site. Although all are theories and the real reason for these group trips is unknown.
Later, at dawn, these spiders feed on the prey they manage to capture at night, such as small insects or even small birds, before returning to the vegetation again. Although this rain seems dangerous, the truth is that there is nothing to be afraid of, since the poison that these spiders possess is harmless to humans. It's more they benefit us more than they harm usSince these spider webs help capture flies and mosquitoes, keeping their populations at bay.
In this other Green Ecologist article we talk about The importance of spiders.
Cases of spider rains
There were several cases of spider rains in Brazil and Australia. The latest case of spider rain in Brazil it occurred south of Minas, in the rural area of Espírito Santo do Dourado. The event was recorded on video and it shows a large number of black dots in the sky, which correspond to the species Parawixia bistriata. In reality, as we have said before, it is not a real rain, but a movement of spiders in their fine cobwebs.
There was also a spider rain in australia. In this case, it happened in an Australian town in the town of Goulburn. A young resident of the town then pointed out that the whole place was covered with small black spiders and that his home seemed abandoned and taken over by spiders. This event usually occurs during the month of May and it is not the first time that it happens, it already happened during the year 2012
A phenomenon that could appear in a scary movie caused more intrigue in a town in Australia, near the city of Goulburn, when a shower of spiders appeared in the sky, something that already happened in 2012. This event usually occurs during the month May and it is not the first time that happens, it already happened during the year 2012, when the spiders descended on the city of Wagga Wagga and caused alarm among its inhabitants.
Learn more curious phenomena by entering these other Green Eocology articles about Why do frogs rain from the sky and What is fish rain and why it happens.
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