Earlier this month, eastern Australia endured days of torrential rains that flooded large parts of New South Wales, causing an estimated $530 million in damage to homes, bridges, and farms. Covering the flood near the town of Wagga Wagga, Reuters photographer Daniel Munoz came across a large area draped in spider silk. Thousands of spiders were fleeing the rising waters, many of them trailing behind massive amounts of dragline silk. The webs tangled over weeds, trees, fences, and fields, creating a surreal and eerie landscape crawling with arachnids. Residents reportedly complained of being unable to walk in certain areas without swarms of little spiders crawling up their legs, seeking higher ground.
Spiders Flee Australian Flood
-
A barbed-wire fence is covered in spiderwebs, formed as spiders escape from flood waters, in Wagga Wagga, Australia, on March 7, 2012. The Murrumbidgee river slowly receded after reaching 10.56 m (34 feet) on March 6. #
Reuters/Daniel Munoz -
-
Wild plants are covered with spiderwebs near flooding in Wagga Wagga, on March 7, 2012. Thousands of spiders have cast eerie webs over vast areas of flood-hit Australia after being forced to seek shelter by the rising waters. #
Reuters/Daniel Munoz -
Local residents look at a road submerged in floodwaters near Wagga Wagga, on March 6, 2012. Floods across eastern Australia forced more than 13,000 people to evacuate their homes after record-high summer rains drenched three states over the past week, swelling rivers and forcing dams to overflow. #
Reuters/Daniel Munoz -
-
-
-
-
-
-
A spider walks on top of a web-covered strand of barbed-wire fence, trailing even more silk behind it, as it flees from rising water in Wagga Wagga, Australia, on March 7, 2012. #
Reuters/Daniel Munoz
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.