So far, 2020 has been a remarkable year in that every month that goes by, the year has managed to outdo itself in terms of dumpster fires. And just in time for spooky season, it seems that 2020 is delivering yet again with the spider webs that have been found deep in the Missouri forests. Needless to say, the sizes of these spider webs have the internet anticipating a news headline about giant, man-eating spiders.
The largest one was photographed by the Missouri Department of Conservation close to a hiking trail near Springfield. The picture was posted to the organization’s Facebook page, much to the horror of the public.
The MDC wrote in their post’s caption that their Media Specialist, Francis Skalicky, was the one behind the camera that captured the giant spiderweb. According to the post, the spider responsible for the large web is an orbweaver, a species of spider that is commonly found throughout Missouri. The spider’s webs are most commonly found in the late summer into the autumn months when both the adults and the webs they produce grow to their largest sizes.
If you are expecting these terrifyingly large webs to hold equally-sized spiders, you can relax. The orbweavers actually aren’t as big as the webs they weave. Phew!
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According to the information found on the department’s website, the spiders’ bodies usually grow to be about half an inch long – this is not including their legs. While that’s still uncomfortably large for a spider, it’s still not as big as the webs.
As for what the orbweavers look like, the department has written, “Neoscona species have a slightly triangular-ovate abdomen with a pattern resembling an upside-down spruce tree. On each side of this midline may be black, brown, and greenish-brown markings. The legs usually are grey with brown rings. The carapace may be grey with brown markings.”
At least we can rest easy knowing that there won’t be any man-eating spiders coming out of Missouri anytime soon! Have you ever seen an orbweaver’s web or an orbweaver itself? Let us know!Whizzco