In mid-January, a "monster spider" crawled through the streets of Kyiv: what was it? (video)

Residents of Kyiv were startled by a "monster spider" that was crawling through the streets. Although the footage actually captured a harmless creature, encountering it in the middle of winter was certainly unusual.

The telegram channel "Kyiv Movement" shared the clips. According to the caption, the spider was spotted on January 13 on one of the city streets.

The video creator became curious about what it was.

This spider is actually a common species found in Ukraine and Europe. Its name is Araneus diadematus, commonly referred to as the Common Garden Spider.

You can identify it by its distinctive cross pattern and design on the upper part of its abdomen. It's also clear from the video that a female is captured since the abdomen appears significantly larger compared to the cephalothorax (the front part). Such proportions are typical for females, while males appear much "slimmer."

Males usually reach sizes up to 1 centimeter, while females can be twice as large.

For humans, garden spiders are not dangerous; they may bite if they feel threatened, but this typically results in only mild discomfort. These spiders are not very mobile and spend most of their time in their webs, which are designed to catch small insects.

Typically, these spiders live for one year — they hatch in spring, grow in summer, and mate in autumn. Males die within a few weeks after mating, often becoming a meal for their "beloved." Females, on the other hand, often die in winter after laying their eggs.

It remains unclear why this particular individual survived until January. It could be assumed that it hibernated in a warm place or that its life cycle was influenced by global climate change.

As previously reported, a Polish citizen attempted to illegally smuggle lemurs out of Ukraine. He offered a substantial bribe to the border guards for them.