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Scientists Report World’s Largest Spider Web in Sulfur Cave on GreeceAlbania Border

A sulfur-fed cave ecosystem supports two normally solitary species cohabiting in a single colonial web.

Overview

  • The interconnected web spans about 106 square meters (roughly 1,076–1,140 square feet) inside Sulfur Cave.
  • Researchers estimate the colony includes about 111,000 spiders, chiefly Tegenaria domestica and Prinerigone vagans.
  • The study identifies the first documented colonial web formation for these species, which typically live alone.
  • Molecular analyses confirm species identities and show the cave populations are genetically distinct from surface relatives.
  • Czech cavers first noted the web in 2022, scientists conducted fieldwork in 2024, and findings were published on October 17, 2025 in Subterranean Biology.