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Okay fellow arachnophobes, this is the day we've always known would arrive! The spiders have come for us! Don't be a hero, save yourself if you can, and may God be with ye!
Greece can't catch a break. When it's not economic collapse, it's wildfires and when it's not those, it's marauding bands of spiders spinning 1,000-foot webs so large they're holding actual BOATS captive. It's like the Somali pirates except spiders and gross.
Anyway, it seems that this year's extremely hot and humid weather in Greece has led to an enormous mosquito population, which in turn has led to an enormous population of Tetragnatha spiders. Local photographer Giannis Giannakopoulous documented the phenomenon on his Facebook page, on the beach of a lagoon near the town of Aitoloko, where it quickly went viral.
Maria Chatzaki, a professor of molecular biology and genetics at Democritus University of Thrace told Newsit.gr that the spiders, "mate, they reproduce and provide a whole new generation... It's as if the spiders are taking advantage of these conditions and are having a kind of a party," which is an entirely too reductive way to describe what USA Today rightly called a spider "sex party," but fine.
Chatzaki clarified that the spiders won't harm the area's plants, and that "these spiders are not dangerous for humans," because Professor Chatzaki has apparently never heard of psychological trauma.
She did finish on an encouraging note, though: "The spiders will have their party and will soon die."
On social media, the story and photos sent folks on an emotional rollercoaster ride:
While some weirdos people found the whole thing to be evidence of nature's majesty:
And for others, well... you can't just type "spider sex party" into the internet and not expect people to do the most:
No word on whether the spiders like pina coladas or are into yoga.
Anyway, the real hero here is local photographer Giannis Giannakopoulos, the one who uncovered this phenomenon on his Facebook page, where they quickly went viral. Get that guy a medal for bravery!
H/T The Independent, USA Today