A Tufted Titmouse eyes a cluster of spiderlings gathered at the tip of a silk-covered plant stalk during a mass migration phenomenon at Huntley Meadows Wetlands in Alexandria, Virginia, USA. In the winter of 2024, thousands of spiderlings climbed to the tops of plants at Huntley and released fine silk threads, which acted as parachutes or hot air baloons and lifted these tiny spiders into the air, sometimes carrying them miles away. The process called "ballooning" by nature experts enables young spiders to escape crowded conditions and find new habitats. The drifting spiderlings at Huntley also created an unusual abundance of food for birds such as titmouses, chickadees, and sparrows.