On August 6, 2007, after an approximate two week absence, Freddie Gowin, while mowing the trails at Lake Tawakoni State Park, discovered one of the most unusual natural phenomenon ever to happen in North Texas. While out on the far north end of the park, he came across a massive spider web. He notified Donna Garde, Park Superintendent, who took the picture below.
She sent the photo to Mike Quinn, invertebrate biologist, Texas Parks & Wildlife and to a number of arachnologists. Initial speculation was that the massive web belonged to a social spider.
It wasn't long until entomologist from all over the world chimed in and on August 29, 2007, Bill Hanna at the Fort Worth Star Telegram broke the story. Soon, every other media out in the country was on the story. CNN, NBC, NPR, AP. They were all there. Joe Lapp, a.k.a. "Spider Joe" from Austin and Mike Quinn also visited Lake Tawakoni State Park. They shot some video and stills and collected a large sample of spiders. Mike Quinn drove the spiders he collected on August 31 to Texas A&M University, College Station and turned them over to Allen Dean and John Jackman for identification. Allen Dean reported in September that he identified 11 spider families from the sample.
On Labor Day Weekend, approximately 3000 people came to the park to see the massive spider webs and for the rest of the month, tourists and scientists alike made their way down the trails to the webs.
Then on October 1, 2007, a second large spider web was reported at Wind Point Park, located on the north side of Lake Tawakoni, by a park employee. It was covering parts of 10 trees and was still growing. Photos sent to Mike Quinn showed a very fresh web engulfing multiple trees. Joe Lapp and Hank Guarisco were conducting a second survey of the first web at Lake Tawakoni State Park when they received word of the second web at Wind Point Park. They drove to the new web and reported finding mostly Long-jawed Spiders, but also large numbers of social spiders.
It didn't take long for winds and rains to eventually knock down the webs. And with Fall coming on, the spiders were no longer as active. Nothing like this has happened since, and there was never really a clear explanation as to what caused the huge web, but many people are hoping the spiders return someday. You may click on the pictures for larger views.
Cache has been approved and permit is on file with park staff. You're looking for a large camoed screw top container tethered near one of the spider trees. Good luck!
texas camo man was FTF and earns Zeke's Seal of Approval!
