24.02.2025 10:51
In an extraordinary natural event in São Thomé das Letras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, hundreds of spiders appeared to fall from the sky. The footage, shared on social media on December 28, frightened viewers and caught the attention of biology experts. Specialist biologist Kayron Passos explained the event as a spider mating ritual. It was noted that the spiders were engaged in a collective mating ceremony, sticking together on a very large web.
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Scary moments when hundreds of spiders "rained down" from the sky were captured on camera.
In the images recorded as an extraordinary natural event in Sao Thome das Letras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, hundreds of eight-legged creatures appear to be falling from the sky.
The chilling images, reminiscent of horror movies, were shared on social media on December 28, frightening and surprising viewers.
One user commented, "Spider paradise!" while another user, who seemed to have witnessed a similar event before, said, "It happened in my brother's garden in Tiradentes too. It always happened late in the afternoon. I was very scared the first time I saw it."
The incident, reported by local media on January 24, caught the attention of biology experts and prompted them to make explanations.
Expert biologist Kayron Passos explained the situation regarding the countless spiders floating in the air to local media: "This is a spider mating ceremony. Female spiders have an organ called spermatheca, where they store the sperm of different males to fertilize their eggs."
The scientist added, "In this way, the female spider ensures that she will produce different offspring and increase genetic diversity."
Passos also noted that female spiders continue to collect sperm for future use even after their eggs are fertilized, stating, "This behavior increases resistance and makes these offspring more resilient to diseases."
Experts concluded that the spiders were performing a collective mating ritual, sticking together on a very large web.
Arachnologist Ana Lucia Tourinho, who works at the Amazon National Research Institute and holds a PhD in Biological Sciences, explained, "Spiders usually do not stay together, but some species exhibit this social behavior by forming colonies. The strategy of staying in groups increases food supply for the young and juveniles."
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