An unexpected side-effect of the flooding in parts of Pakistan last year has been that millions of spiders were driven up into the trees to escape the rising flood waters. Because of the scale of the flooding and the fact that the water has taken so long to recede, spiders have built massive webs on trees turning them into ghostly cocoons. Such a phenomenon has never been seen before.

On the flip side, people in Sindh have reported fewer mosquitoes than they would have expected given the amount of stagnant water in the area. It is thought the mosquitoes are getting caught in the spiders' webs, reducing their numbers and the associated risk of malaria.

Photos: Russell Watkins, U.K. Department for International Development