MASSIVE spider webs stretching across trees and paddocks have formed near towns recently threatened by floodwaters in South East Queensland.

It is caused by a natural phenomenon known as ballooning which is triggered by days of heavy rain.

This fascinating survival tactic is used by spiders to escape floodwaters.

The spider climbs as high as it can, stands on raised legs with its abdomen pointed upward and when conditions are right, it will release fine gossamer threads from its spinneret (its silk spinning organ) into the air.

These can form a triangular shaped parachute which carries the spider away on updrafts.

In the case of the rising floodwaters, ground dwelling spiders will catapult the threads upwards like a lasso to hook onto higher vegetation. The spider then climbs up the thread.

When these gossamer lassos are thrown by thousands, and in some cases millions of spiders, the outcome appears like sheets of web overlaying trees, tall grasses, fencelines and road signs, in fact, anything high and stationary.

This phenomenon was captured on camera by photographer Lyle Radford after the floodwaters receded enough to make travel possible around the harder hit districts following the mainland crossing of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, earlier this month.

Enlargement of the images of the tree photographed at Warrill View showed the web coverings were being tended by hundreds of small spiders.