An area in Australia covered with spider webs

The infestation of spiders has left swathes of Gippsland in southeastern Australia covered in nets, as animals seek to settle aloft to escape floods.

A sea of ​​silk has invaded this area of ​​Victoria, which was hit by floods earlier in June, due to webs woven by spiders that usually live on the ground and seek shelter, according to academic Dieter Hochule.

“When we have this kind of heavy rain and flooding, these animals, who mysteriously spend their lives on land, can’t live there anymore and do exactly what we’re trying to do: They move to higher elevations. The Integrative Ecology Group at the University of Sydney, she told the channel. local television 7.

Spiders have been known to release their webs to create temporary canopies and take advantage of the wind to change locations.

At least two people died in storms that hit Victoria earlier in June. The authorities found the two bodies in partially submerged cars.

Thousands of people in the worst-hit areas have been without power for weeks, with some homes still without power.

Australians living in rural areas have experienced a series of disasters in recent years. A prolonged drought was followed by months of devastating bushfires in late 2019 and early 2020, before rains triggered floods that caused damage in several areas.