A man carries a branch as spider webs blanket shrubs at the banks of Lake Vistonida, Greece, October 19, 2018.
© REUTERS / ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDISA man carries a branch as spider webs blanket shrubs at the banks of Lake Vistonida, Greece, October 19, 2018.
The shores of Lake Vistonida in Greece were transformed into a truly surreal landscape as they became blanketed in massive spider webs.

This peculiar phenomenon was apparently caused by unusually warm weather which led to an increase in the mosquito population and therefore triggered an overpopulation of spiders that feed on these insects.

The spiders are from the genus Tetragnatha, known as stretch spiders due to their elongated bodies.

They are known to build webs near watery habitats, with some species even said to be able to walk on water.



Spider webs blanket trees and bushes at the banks of Lake Vistonida, Greece, October 19, 2018.
© REUTERS / ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDISSpider webs blanket trees and bushes at the banks of Lake Vistonida, Greece, October 19, 2018.
Spider webs cover a roadside shrine at the banks of Lake Vistonida, Greece, October 19, 2018.
© REUTERS / ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDISSpider webs cover a roadside shrine at the banks of Lake Vistonida, Greece, October 19, 2018.
The sun rises as spider webs blanket bushes at the banks of Lake Vistonida, Greece, October 19, 2018.
© REUTERS / ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDISThe sun rises as spider webs blanket bushes at the banks of Lake Vistonida, Greece, October 19, 2018.
Birds fly over on a unique 1,000 m long spider-web covering the road beside the Vistonida lake, near Xanthi, northern Greece, on October 18, 2018.
© SAKIS MITROLIDISBirds fly over on a unique 1,000 m long spider-web covering the road beside the Vistonida lake, near Xanthi, northern Greece, on October 18, 2018.
Spider webs blanket shrubs
© REUTERS / ALEXANDROS AVRAMIDIS