Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

There is almost no place on Earth safe from “spider rain”

Thousands of spiders “rained” on an Australian town this week. It’s not literal rain, but sometimes spiders like to put their butts in the air and float on silken threads, and let the wind carry them to better places. This behavior is called “ballooning.“ When it’s a large amount of spiders, it’s colloquially referred to as “spider rain.”

If you’re worried about the chances of spider rain coming to a town near you, rest assured! There’s a very small number of places where this will never happen.

Of course, there are many places where it could happen. The red areas encompass all the places where you are not safe:

Global spider habitat distribution. (DoMyOwnPestControl.com)

Is there good news? Yes. Spiders do not like extremely cold weather. You could move to Antarctica to escape spiders — at least before the continent melts away.

Spiders avoid the coldest northernmost areas of Earth, too. For example, they will only follow you to the beaches of Iceland before you can escape them, or until about minus 7° Celsius, whichever comes first.

See More:

More in archives

archives
Ethics and Guidelines at Vox.comEthics and Guidelines at Vox.com
archives
By Vox Staff
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court will decide if the government can ban transgender health careThe Supreme Court will decide if the government can ban transgender health care
Supreme Court

Given the Court’s Republican supermajority, this case is unlikely to end well for trans people.

By Ian Millhiser
archives
On the MoneyOn the Money
archives

Learn about saving, spending, investing, and more in a monthly personal finance advice column written by Nicole Dieker.

By Vox Staff
archives
Total solar eclipse passes over USTotal solar eclipse passes over US
archives
By Vox Staff
archives
The 2024 Iowa caucusesThe 2024 Iowa caucuses
archives

The latest news, analysis, and explainers coming out of the GOP Iowa caucuses.

By Vox Staff
archives
The Big SqueezeThe Big Squeeze
archives

The economy’s stacked against us.

By Vox Staff