Antarctica Is The Only Continent With No Spiders Graphic © todaysfunfact.com. Background photo: Pixabay (PD)
Not to startle you, but there’s probably a spider within a few feet of you—unless you live in Antarctica.
Spiders are in virtually every location humans inhabit. They tend to live alongside humans stuffed in the nooks and crannies of buildings, gardens, and the great outdoors.
And while humans inhabit Antarctica in the various research stations or as tourists during summer, it appears this is where our eight-legged friends draw the line—and you can’t blame them.
Antarctica – Spiders’ Last Frontier
Spiders are highly adaptable and resilient animals with an uncanny ability to thrive in nearly every environment. The only exception to their impressive survival skillset is the bone-chilling climate of Antarctica.
Sure, some spiders might unleash their unique ‘cold hardening’ ability that allows them to produce an anti-freeze chemical to withstand temperatures as low as 23 degrees Fahrenheit. This may work for most winter climates, but Antarctica is a whole ‘nother beast.
It’s the driest, windiest, and coldest continent. The frozen southernmost continent is estimated to hold 90% of all ice on the planet. Even more fascinating, Antarctica boasts the lowest recorded temperature in the world at -129.3º Fahrenheit.
With such frosty numbers, it’s easy to see why spiders don’t fancy ballooning away to Antarctica. And even if they did (say during warmer summer months), they would only starve to death, hopelessly looking for their favorite snacks (moths and other insects).
Unless they develop an appetite for Antarctic midges, which are the only native insects resilient enough to withstand the continent’s harsh environment. And even then, they would have a 3-month window to hunt them since Antarctic midges spend 9 months frozen solid.
The Unappreciated Beauty Of Spiders
Most people squirm at the thought of spiders. The arachnids are widely maligned as frightening or evil. But perhaps it’s better to give them a break from all the bad rap and take time to appreciate their possibly venomous, sometimes cannibalistic, eight-legged beauty.
Whether you’re fascinated by spiders or their very thought sends a tingle down your spine, it’s essential to understand and appreciate their role in the ecosystem. They help control the population of insects and pests, which would otherwise wreak havoc on the environment.