Are you afraid of spiders? If so, avert your eyes. Recently, 107 million of the creepy crawlers were found in Baltimore’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. According to the Daily Mail, spiderwebs covered 95% of the building’s interior, which spans an astonishing four acres!
Most of the spiders discovered in the massive webs are Tetragnathidae, also known as orb weavers. They measure around 1/2-inch long and have long, slim bodies with shiny abdomens. Reportedly, Tetragnathidae is typically found in swamps or damp areas. In the wastewater treatment plant, some of the webs were used for catching prey, whereas others were for reproduction.
Those who dared enter the facility found all-encompassing webs, calculated to contain 35,176 spiders for every cubic meter of space. The discovery has led some to believe that the nest is the most concentrated spider population in the United States!
Employees of the Baltimore Wastewater Treatment Plant were horrified to find the thousands of webs in 2009. At that time, the webbing engulfed nearly the entire ceiling of the warehouse, extending down two to three feet from the ceiling. Incredibly, the webbing was so thick in some areas, fixtures and lighting were permanently damaged by the weight of the spider silk which can be as strong as alloy steel when spun thickly.
Before they were discovered, the spiders were able to thrive in the dark space, feeding on other insects and thriving in the nutrient-rich water produced at the treatment plant. It is unknown what action will be taken to either rid the facility of the arachnids or allow them to flourish so populations may be studied. If the latter takes place, Godspeed to those who live in the area.
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