# Thousands of spiders! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 24, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousands-of-spiders/629201 "2012-07-24T03:16:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousands-of-spiders/629201/1 "2012-07-24T03:16:18Z")
Now I know a lot of folks have an (irrational) fear of spiders, but I think they are pretty cool. There are estimates that put the number of spiders per acre in the 1,000,000 range! Most of them are tiny and pass unnoticed, but I found a way to get an idea of just how many there are in my backyard (or, at least one particular type - the Wolf spider). I noticed that when I took my dogs out at night to do their business, I would often see very tiny reflections on the ground, like dewdrops. It turns out that Wolf spiders have eyes that act like retro-reflectors (like lane markers). When I hold my bright flashlight up at eye level (I actually put it on my forehead, and point it where I’m looking), I can see thousands of tiny glowing dots on the ground - and each one is a little spider! I tried to take a photo, but it wasn’t as impressive as the real thing. I’ll try again later. Try it, and see if they are as plentiful where you live… ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousands-of-spiders/629201/2 "2012-07-24T17:45:20Z")
If I did this, I would never sleep soundly again until I sealed my bedroom with saran wrap. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousands-of-spiders/629201/3 "2012-07-24T19:29:59Z")
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! That’s sooooo not ever going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousands-of-spiders/629201/4 "2012-07-24T20:04:18Z")
**beowulff** - I noticed the same thing when I feed my horses at night - all these tiny reflective spider eyes looking at me (or the light). It’s pretty cool. And I think off all the spiders that might not be looking at exactly the right angle to catch the light. Amazing. StG ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousands-of-spiders/629201/5 "2012-07-24T20:25:48Z")
Could be worse - you could live in Australia: > **[Thousands of spiders blanket Australian farm after escaping flood](https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/thousands-spiders-blanket-australian-farm-escaping-flood-165958059.html)** > > Thousands of normally solitary wolf spiders have blanketed an Australian farm after fleeing a rising flood. Reuters reports that the flooding has forced more than 8,000 Australian (human) residents from their homes in the city of Wagga Wagga in New... 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousands-of-spiders/629201/6 "2012-07-24T22:26:31Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Could be worse - you could live in Australia: GAH! I knew better! I totally knew better, but I clicked it anyways! I’ve seen the pictures before, I knew what this was, and yet I not only clicked…I _scrolled_! ---
**Author:** ![Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Curiosity\_Kills\_Her](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Curiosity_Kills_Her)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thousands-of-spiders/629201/7 "2012-07-25T00:44:05Z")
As long as there are not thousands of snakes’ eyes I’m good.