Flying Spiders Are Taking Over Oklahoma Skies

Have you had one of those frantic moments of panic so far this season where you suddenly feel wrapped up in spiderwebs? 

You're not going crazy, it's just the flying spiders. Only in Oklahoma, right?

What Are “Flying Spiders”?

Before anybody starts freaking out, they’re not some new breed of monster bug or anything. They’re regular old baby spiders doing what they do every year... riding the wind. Science calls it “ballooning,” when they climb as high as possible and throw a little silk into the breeze. Since the wind blows like crazy across the Sooner State, they just take off.

This is one of those things that you really don't notice at first, but eventually it hits you right square in the face. You'll see it coming too, a shimmering glint of light drifting through the air when the sunlight hits just right. It’s sort of pretty until you start doing the "Oklahoma Get It Off Me” dance.

Don’t lie, we’ve all done it.

The Science Behind the Spider Surge

From what folks are saying online, it’s not just us. People in Kansas and Missouri are seeing the same thing. But it seems worse here this year for whatever reason. Maybe it’s because we're having a really long stretch of warm weather, or maybe it’s the same as it was this time of last year.

Oklahoma weather does whatever it wants, so who knows.

The good news is they’re harmless. You don't have to worry about spider bites and stuff. These critters are just trying to find a home before it gets too cold. They’ll set up a homestead in your flower beds or the corners of the shed. Anywhere that feels good for finding food. 

Just Another Day in Oklahoma

So, if you do get the feeling you're catching hitchhikers, don’t panic. It’s just baby spiders doing what baby spiders do. You'll survive.