# Those who are uncomfortable around spiders, do NOT open this thread! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 31, 2007, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-are-uncomfortable-around-spiders-do-not-open-this-thread/417589 "2007-08-31T05:10:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2007, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-are-uncomfortable-around-spiders-do-not-open-this-thread/417589/21 "2007-09-02T06:42:09Z")
That is so damn cool. I know EXACTLY how **Moxmaiden** , myself, and the expansion sets are spending our Labor Day. Now I just have to charge up the batteries in the RC boats and helicopter, research geocaches in that area, do some minor maintenance on a couple bikes, and find my gorram camera. If all goes well I’ll have some good pics to post on Tuesday. 🙂 Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-are-uncomfortable-around-spiders-do-not-open-this-thread/417589/22 "2007-09-03T03:39:44Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Those are conifers, aren’t they? Looks more like the work of the Pine Processionary Moth to me - or some other tent caterpillar ([compare](http://user.it.uu.se/~svens/larverna/12-cykel_vid_trad.jpg)) [/QUOTE] That wasn’t a picture of tent caterpillar webs, I saw the same (or similar) picture in the New York Times accompanying an article about a strange spider colony that appeared in a nature preserve in Texas. Out of the ordinary for spiders in temperate climates, but some species in the tropics do this. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-are-uncomfortable-around-spiders-do-not-open-this-thread/417589/23 "2007-09-03T04:00:16Z")
[QUOTE=Tapiotar] As long as they are eating mosquitoes, this is GOOD! [/QUOTE] Yes, but when the finish off the mosquitos… EEEK! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-are-uncomfortable-around-spiders-do-not-open-this-thread/417589/24 "2007-09-03T14:25:41Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Those are conifers, aren’t they? Looks more like the work of the Pine Processionary Moth to me - or some other tent caterpillar ([compare](http://user.it.uu.se/~svens/larverna/12-cykel_vid_trad.jpg)) [/QUOTE] Nope, definitely spiders. [Here’s some info from local Entomologists](http://texasento.net/Social_Spider.htm). Their speculation is that this is a dispersal event, rather than a food-harvesting cooperative effort. So instead of it being a community, it’s a launching point for the inveitable invasion. > [@Boyo Jim](#): > > Yes, but when the finish off the mosquitos… That’ll happen around the time the sun goes nova. The mosquito population wouldn’t even feel a twinge, even if hundreds more webs like this sprung up. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2007, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-are-uncomfortable-around-spiders-do-not-open-this-thread/417589/25 "2007-09-03T14:45:25Z")
All I can think of now is that big clumsy spider on that episode of Gilligan’s Island. You know the one I’m talking about. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-who-are-uncomfortable-around-spiders-do-not-open-this-thread/417589.md?page=1)