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September 13, 2007

Scientists untangle mystery of giant web

From MSNBC:

Web_2 WILLS POINT, Texas - A variety of spider species built on one another's work to create a sprawling web that blanketed hundreds of yards of trees and shrubs at a North Texas park, according to entomologists who studied the unusual formation.

The web covered 200 yards (meters) along a trail at Lake Tawakoni State Park, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of Dallas. The August discovery of the massive web spurred debate among entomologists about its origin and rarity. Mike Quinn, a biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, collected spiders from the trees and sent them to Texas A&M. Dean studied 250 specimens and identified 12 families of spiders in the same web. He said the most prevalent type is from the Tetragnathidae family, which typically weave individual orb-shaped webs.

More here.

Posted by Azra Raza at 05:29 AM | Permalink

Comments

I think it's embarrassing to have oogled and intruded upon the The Official 2007 Spider Orgy.

But then again, the Spider Orgy Committee picked a very poor location this year. I assume they will all be fired (or have their heads eaten).

And you know what they all say about
Tetragnathidae: "Quiet in public but tigers in the bedroom"...

Posted by: beajerry | Sep 13, 2007 10:00:14 AM

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