spiders

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Viral Video Captures Spiders 'Raining' on Brazil

Man looks up, sees thousands in the sky

(Newser) - How about glancing up and seeing thousands of spiders swaying and dangling in the sky? That's what Erick Reis, 20, witnessed when leaving an engagement party in the Brazilian town of Santo Antonio da Platina—so he shot a video that has since gone viral, the Examiner reports. Turns...

First Snakes, Now Spiders Take Over Guam

Tree snakes devoured most of the spider-eating birds

(Newser) - First it was two million snakes . Now spiders are taking over Guam. The tiny island is experiencing a population explosion of arachnids because a vast, invasive army of snakes ate most of the native birds, the spiders' natural predator. Biologists say Guam's jungle currently holds 40 times more spiders...

Australians Asked to Catch World's Deadliest Spider

See a funnel-web? Grab it!

(Newser) - How would you react if you came across one of the world's deadliest spiders? If your instinct is to run, Australia might be a little disappointed in you. The Australian Reptile Park has issued a plea to residents asking them to catch the funnel-web and bring it in, reports...

Meet 'Cave Robber,' Newly Discovered US Spider

It lives in the Northwest and has oversized claws

(Newser) - The first new spider species discovered in North America in more than 110 years has been found in the caves of the Pacific Northwest, reports the Telegraph . The Trogloraptor, or "cave robber" spider, measures about three inches long when outstretched and is seen as a "fierce, specialized predator,...

Look Out Black Widow, Here Comes Brown Widow

Less toxic rivals may be taking over in West

(Newser) - Good news: You may now be slightly less likely to find a black widow spider hiding in your shoe. Researchers discovered that the deadly arachnid is being crowded out of swaths of its native US territory by a new creepy crawler to the scene—the brown widow, reports LiveScience . The...

Mystery Spiders Swarm Town, Leave 2 Dead

Indian town of Sadiya reels from arachnid invasion

(Newser) - Venomous spiders have swarmed the Indian town of Sadiya, killing two people and flooding hospitals with spider bite victims, the Global Post reports. The previously unknown species, which resembles the tarantula, crawled in about a month ago and wreaked havoc at a Hindu festival. A man and a schoolboy have...

Spider Silk Spun Into Violin Strings

Up to 5,000 silk threads needed for each string

(Newser) - A Japanese researcher who specializes in spider silk has used 300 plucky golden orb web spiders to weave silk threads he could turn into violin strings, reports the BBC . Shigeyoshi Osaki used up to 5,000 silk threads to produce each string, twisting them together tightly in a "unique...

How to Survive in the Wild: Be a Good Mimic

Just ask the dancing spider, the jawfish, and the octopus

(Newser) - If you're a fan of animal mimicry stories, today's just like your birthday:
  • Spider dance: Biologists have discovered that a male wolf spider who sees another male doing a little spider dance to attract a mate will not only mimic the moves but try to improve upon them
...

Maine Shipyard Finds Black Widows in Cargo

Warship fumigated after deadly shipment arrives from California

(Newser) - A Maine shipyard that builds all sorts of ships for the US Navy received an unexpectedly dangerous shipment from its California supplier—two dozen black widow spiders that had hitched a ride in a shipment of launch system parts. An exterminator was called to get rid of the arachnids that...

Scientists Find Inflatable Shark, 300 New Species

Treasure trove of strange new creatures discovered by scientists

(Newser) - No, it's not a pool toy. Researchers have discovered a new species of inflatable shark, along with more than 300 other previously unknown varieties of creatures dwelling in the Philippines. Among the finds: the shrimp-eating shark that fills itself with water to inflate and scare off predators; dozens of...

Spider Infestations Trigger Mazda Recall

Toxic spiders found dwelling in fuel lines

(Newser) - If you're not already an arachnophobe, a bizarre recall from Mazda might be enough to turn you into one. The Japanese automaker is recalling 65,000 vehicles in North America because of infestations of poisonous spiders, the BBC reports. The yellow sac spider—which has a mildly toxic bite—has...

Man Burns Himself Badly ... Trying to Kill Spider

(Newser) - A British man ended up in the hospital yesterday after burning himself quite severely while ... trying to kill a spider. He was called into the bathroom after his wife saw the spider crawl behind the toilet. Not being able to reach it, he decided to use an aerosol spray to...

Ship Halted After 'Spider Tsunami'

Thousands of spiders pour from Guam ship

(Newser) - Authorities in Guam have turned away a ship after thousands of spiders poured out of its cargo as it headed into port. Hundreds of large spiders and thousands of smaller ones were seen when stevedores began offloading insulation and beams for housing units from the ship, the MV Altavia, which...

Stuff I've Found in My Cleavage
 Stuff I've Found in My Cleavage 

popcorn, earrings, a spider
Mar 22, 2010 2:35 PM CDT

Stuff I've Found in My Cleavage

Don't call a locksmith about your missing keys until you check your bra

(Newser) - The basics for an evening out—money, keys, lipstick, an ID—fit nicely in a small handbag. You might be tempted to tuck them into your bra, but think again. "I stored lipstick in mine once, and it dislodged while I was dancing and leaked all over me like...

Spider Silk Discovery Opens Way to Super Matter

Method may "make it possible to build bricks from straw'

(Newser) - Spider silk is yielding secrets that could pave the way for incredibly strong building materials, researchers say. MIT scientists found that the silk uses a unique crystal structure that makes it both strong and able to bend without breaking. They believe it is possible to copy that structure to turn...

Killer Spiders Invade Sydney
 Killer Spiders Invade Sydney 
Jan 21, 2010 1:44 AM CST

Killer Spiders Invade Sydney

Warm weather blamed for influx of funnel-webs

(Newser) - A heavy infestation of funnel-web spiders is giving Sydney residents the jitters. Experts say the spider—one of the deadliest and most aggressive in existence—is arriving in unusually large numbers because of warm and wet weather. The spider's bite can be fatal within two hours, although no Australians have...

Airport Nabs Brit With 1,000 Spiders

Arachnid smuggler could get jail, $2M fine

(Newser) - A British pet shop owner was nabbed at the airport in Rio de Janiero this week after customs officers found 1,000 live spiders in his checked baggage. Police say it's the biggest seizure of wildlife ever made at the airport. The spider-smuggler now faces up to a year in...

The Most Common Phobias
 The Most Common Phobias 
happy halloween
Oct 31, 2009 3:07 PM CDT

The Most Common Phobias

Don't like spiders and snakes? Join the club!

(Newser) - In honor of Halloween, LiveScience reveals the most common phobias. If you still need a costume, you'll scare the most people by playing on their evolutionarily sensible fear of creatures with venomous fangs. The top terrors:
  1. Snakes
  2. Spiders and other "creepy crawlies"
  3. Places that are difficult to escape, such
...

World's Biggest Web-Spinning Spidey Found

Rare African orb-weaver spins 3-foot webs

(Newser) - A gargantuan new species of orb-weaving arachnid found in South Africa is the biggest web-spinning spider ever discovered, scientists say. The female Nephila komaci has a leg span bigger than a man's hand and spins webs more than 3 feet wide, the BBC reports. Arachnophobes will be glad to hear...

Scientists Build a Better Web—by Adding Metal

(Newser) - Scientists have combined spider silk with metal atoms to boost web strands' already-phenomenal strength, reports Ars Technica. The breakthrough experiment advances the science of creating ever-stronger materials, as well discovering a successful method to bond metal to biological material. Experiments are already under way to make chicken eggs stronger.

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