Scientists discover world’s largest spider web
Researchers found the colossal web hosting a megacity of around 111,000 spiders located on the border between Albania and Greece.
By Dean Murray
Scientists have discovered what may be the world's largest spider web.
Researchers found the colossal web hosting a megacity of around 111,000 spiders in Sulfur Cave, a site located on the border between Albania and Greece.
Stretching over 106 square meters, the arachnids comprise two species: the domestic house spider (Tegenaria domestica) and the sheet weaver spider (Prinerigone vagans).
The discovery, described in the journal Subterranean Biology, details how the spiders live in near-total darkness. It marks the first recorded case of colonial living for both species, each typically renowned for a solitary lifestyle.
Genetic studies show that these cave-dwelling spiders have adapted uniquely to their harsh, sulphur-rich environment, distinguishing them from surface populations.
The colony’s remarkable size and structure provide new insight into ecological adaptation and spider social behaviour in extreme subterranean environments.
The study was led by arachnologist István Urák of Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania, with collaboration from members of the Czech Speleological Society and other scientists.
They first learned of the cave’s peculiar ecosystem in 2022 when recreational cavers discovered the giant web and alerted researchers.
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