Lake Tawakoni State Park

Lake Tawakoni State Park, TX - Spider Frenzy [Official]

In October 2007 Lake Tawakoni State Park, near Dallas, was ground zero for a spider spectacle that made news around the world. Thousands of spiders spun a massive web that blanketed a 200-foot section of trees.

Long Nose Pete at Lake Tawakoni, Texas

Driving across the lake

DV Texas Spiders

HEADLINE: Yikes! One massive spider web
CAPTION: A marvel of nature or very creepy? You decide. Rich Matthews reports from Texas where a giant family of spiders has spun one gigantic web. (Sept. 4)
[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE]
(sot)--covered
It is quite a phenomenon, a marvel of nature...
(vo)
High atop the trees in Texas's lake Tawakoni state park.. Is a sight that could make your skin crawl...
(sot)
Just in this small area you can see about 20 just right here..
(vo)
A giant family of spiders have spun their webs so thick, you can hardly see through the trees....
How many spiders??
(sot)
MIKE MCCORD
PARK RANGER
I would say millions
(vo)
Millions of spiders doing something they aren't known for doing, working alongside each other, almost together to catch, well tens of millions of tiny bugs and mosquitoes..
(sot)
Even though this spider group is not considered social they are tolerating each other and that is quite amazing on its own...
(vo)
Right now this is the perfect habitat for spiders, heavy rains have created a banner crop of mosquitoes, a crop so good the spiders are putting aside their differences and bonding together forming this huge web, which is actually thousands of tiny webs woven in layers one on top of the other..
(sot)
It's awesome, unbelievable they could be so intricate encasing those branches..
(vo)
The phenomenon as it's referred to around here has been great for the park's attendance as folks like Marge Wiley and Cheryl Vincent come out to see for themselves..
(sot)
They are such tiny spiders you'd think they'd have a small web..
(vo)
While it does have the tendency to creep some people out, even those who don't like spiders say it's worth the trip..
(sot)
They aren't climbing on me.. So it's ok...
(vo)
Although parts of the web have collapsed recently under heavy rains, the colony instantly went back to work rebuilding.. Most of the spiders here are long jawed orb weavers, but one etymologist who studied the area found more than 50 different species present..
Rich Matthews the associated press
Wills point Texas..
The Associated Press.


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