Next invasion of giant spiders in cities: Scientists explain why this species is spreading
Giant spiders originating from Asia have been invading American infrastructure for many years. A study shows that this species has everything it needs to thrive given its adaptability.
This is not a disaster movie scenario, but a very realistic scientific prediction. A few years ago, the recluse spider, Trichonephila clavata, was introduced to the United States.
First reported in 2014, the specimen may have landed on a Georgia highway via a shipping container, as pointed out by Rick Hobeck, collections manager at the Georgia Museum of Natural History, a scientist who studied the species.
And since then, species have settled and evolved. What is most surprising is that these spiders seem to adapt to urban environments, thus defying the normal behavior of arachnids. This is why they will spread and invade cities, according to scientists who published their work in February.
Features of this loud spider
These spiders are distinguished by their size and color: females can reach 7.6 cm in diameter and have yellow stripes as specified by Geo.
Their webs can easily reach about 2 meters in diameter.
Present beside roads
The prevalence of these spiders is increasing, especially in urban areas. Surprisingly, woven fabrics are common on the roadside. But spiders usually are Very sensitive to vibrations. It is thanks to the vibration of its web that the spider knows that it has trapped prey.
The species should therefore be blocked by road traffic generates vibrations. Scientists have shown that giant spiders seem to have adapted to this type of vibration. When they live near roads, they will be more adept at detecting artificial prey caused by vibrations than others living in quieter environments.
In the study, the researchers explain that they have the ability to adapt as evidenced by their weight that remains constant in an urban environment. “Spiders near the busiest roads did not weigh less than other sites, suggesting that they may be able to compensate for disturbance. These findings add to the accumulating evidence around this species showing its ability to survive in human-dominated landscapes. possibly facilitating its spread.”
Hopefully they don’t intend to evolve to flourish in Europe… although for the moment, they pose no threat to humans, except for arachnophobes.
