Spiders’ mating season leaves plants at Aitoliko Lagoon covered in 300-metre cobwebs

This article titled “Giant spiders’ web covers Greek beach” was written by Martin Belam, for theguardian.com on Thursday 20th September 2018 10.00 UTC

A Greek beach has been turned into an arachnophobe’s worst nightmare, as spiders have covered it in a web some 300 metres long.

A video, posted to YouTube by Giannis Giannakopoulos, shows the beach at the town of Aitoliko in western Greece under siege from the dense web.

   <figure class="element element-video">    <figcaption>Giannis Giannakopoulos posted this video of the spider web to YouTube.</figcaption> </figure>   <p>The web has been built by spiders of the Tetragnatha genus. They are often known as stretch spiders, as they have elongated bodies – and in another worrying development for those who fear spiders – Tetragnatha extensa are small enough and light enough to be able to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jul/05/research-sheds-light-on-mystery-of-how-spiders-take-flight">run across water</a> faster than they can move on land.</p>  <figure class="element element-image element--showcase"> <img src="https://media.guim.co.uk/5fc93d4910af1634b0ecf3249ffad634c57e7108/0_0_3543_2362/1000.jpg" alt="The cobweb has completely swamped vegetation on the beach." width="1000" height="667" class="gu-image" /> <figcaption> <span class="element-image__caption">The cobweb has completely swamped vegetation on the beach.</span> <span class="element-image__credit">Photograph: Giannis Giannakopoulos/EPA</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>However, the spiders of Aitoliko, which is 300km from Athens, don’t pose a threat.</p> <p>“These spiders are not dangerous for humans, and will not cause any damage,” <a href="https://www.newsit.gr/ellada/ayti-einai-i-eksigisi-gia-to-fainomeno-me-tis-araxnes-sto-aitoliko/2618523/">molecular biologist Maria Chatzaki told Greek news websites</a>. She explained that the seasonal phenomenon occurs when the spiders are mating, and that an increase in the mosquito population this year had lead to...