Deep within a sulfur-filled cave on the border between Greece and Albania, scientists have discovered what is believed to be the world’s largest spider web, a massive, interconnected web woven by about 111,000 spiders.
Spanning approximately 1,140 square feet (about 106 square metres), the web covers the walls and ceiling of the cave’s narrow passage, forming what researchers call a veritable “mega-spider city.” The colony consists mainly of two species – the common house spider (Tegenaria locala) and the plate-weaving spider (Prinerigone vagans) – which are usually solitary. However, inside this dark, sulfur-rich cave, they have adapted to live and hunt together.
The secret behind their massive network lies in the unique Sulfur Cave ecosystem. Instead of sunlight, life here is supported by sulfur springs that feed bacteria and dense swarms of midges – the spiders’ main food source. With no natural predators and an endless buffet of insects, spiders thrive in harmony, their webs merging into one vast, multi-layered structure.
Scientists say this discovery challenges long-standing assumptions about spider behavior. Spiders are usually solitary hunters, but this result shows that under the right environmental conditions, they can display social tendencies and even form cooperative colonies.
Genetic studies also suggest that these cave-dwelling spiders are slowly drifting away from their above-ground relatives, a glimpse of evolution in real time. This discovery not only astonishes biologists, but also highlights how life adapts and thrives in unexpected corners of the Earth.
Strange as it may seem, this giant web is nature’s masterpiece — a delicate, sprawling structure swirling in complete darkness, quietly rewriting what we know about spider life.
(marks for translation) Spider
