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KSBY has received several calls reporting a cotton-like substance falling from the sky in the Paso Robles area.
Residents say it looks like cobwebs but has a different texture. Some are speculating that the substance was released by jets flying over the area.
KSBY spoke with a local entomologist, Dennis Sheridan, who took a look at some of the viewer's photos. He says it's likely spiders ballooning. That's when baby spiders send silk out of their abdomens to create a parachute that carries them to their new homes.
When spiders drop off the silk parachutes continue.
Both Cal Fire and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office have been notified.
KSBY will update this story as more information comes into the newsroom.
originally posted by: DexterRiley
As a side note, when I read the title the first thing that came to mind for me was Morgellons Disease.
-dex
Morgellons (/mɔː(ɹ)ˈdʒɛlənz/), also called Morgellons disease or Morgellons syndrome, is a condition in which people have the delusional belief that they are infested with disease-causing agents described as things like insects, parasites, hairs or fibers, while in reality no such things are present.[1]
Yep, they were probably hatched at a medical marijuana dispensary, and they got into the stuff on the top shelf.
Oh. I see. It's delusional spiders that are making the webs?
Based on their testing, the fibers were determined to be cotton or other fibers found in clothing.
The investigation involved skin biopsies from affected people, and characterization of foreign material such as fibers or threads obtained from people to determine their potential source.
It was not my intention to imply any paranormal source for the fibers, or that these fibers are related to Morgellons. My thought was driven by a pavlovian response to finding "threads from heaven."
But, in looking at the pictures, those fibers look a lot thicker than the ones I'm referring to. And to think that a baby spider can generate something so substantial is difficult to believe.
Usually its a bunch of baby spiders just hatched. They all begin climbing to the highest points and start streaming silk from their spinarettes which merges into one big mass, finally lifting them off together to soar the wind.