Kingdom of the Spiders

Dr. Robert 'Rack' Hansen is summoned when Walter Colby's prize calf falls ill and dies soon after. He sends the calf's blood samples to a university lab in Flagstaff for analysis, launching an investigation into a possible non-natural cause. The urgency of the call sets the stage for a mystery rooted in veterinary medicine and toxicology.

Diane Ashley, an arachnologist, arrives and informs Hansen that the calf was killed by spider venom. Hansen remains skeptical, but Ashley insists on examining the carcass and the surrounding area to verify the theory. Her arrival introduces a scientific hypothesis that will drive the investigation.

Birch Colby discovers their dog dead from a massive injection of spider venom. Ashley and Hansen investigate the back section of the farm and uncover a sprawling 'spider hill' of tarantulas. Ashley theorizes that pesticide use is killing the spiders' natural food sources, forcing them to converge and attack larger animals.

Back at Colby farm, the team returns to burn the spider hill. A bull is attacked by tarantulas and bolts from a barn. Colby douses the hill with gasoline, lights it, but many spiders escape through a tunnel.

The next day, Colby is attacked by tarantulas while driving his truck, sending the vehicle off the side of a hill. Hansen and Sheriff Gene Smith arrive at the scene and find Colby's body encased in spider silk. The tragedy confirms the tarantula threat is escalating.

A venom sample from one of the tarantulas is found to be five times more toxic than normal, signaling growing danger. The sheriff locates several more spider hills on Colby's property, suggesting the infestation is spreading.

The mayor of Camp Verde orders the sheriff to spray pesticides over the hills and surrounding countryside. Ashley argues that pesticide is only a temporary fix and proposes introducing birds and rats to restore ecological balance, but the mayor fears frightening away county fair patrons.

A crop duster sprays pesticide across the area, but mid-flight the pilot is attacked by tarantulas, causing him to lose control. The spray misses its intended targets and coats residential areas with toxic pesticide before crashing.

Spiders begin attacking residents, killing Birch and Hansen's sister-in-law Terri. Hansen rescues Terri's daughter Linda, and the group takes refuge with others in the Washburn Lodge as the town braces for the siege.

Hansen, Ashley, and Linda, along with other survivors, shelter inside Washburn Lodge and consult with Sheriff Smith, who confirms that the spiders are everywhere and Camp Verde is cut off from the outside world. The sense of isolation deepens as the danger closes in.

Sheriff Smith drives into town to coordinate a defense but is killed when a car crashes into a support post beneath the town's water tower, causing the structure to collapse onto his vehicle. His death marks a turning point as the town's leadership is decimated.

Spiders destroy a fuse, shutting off power at the lodge. Hansen ventures into the basement to replace the fuse and succeeds, but is besieged by spiders who break through a basement window. He returns upstairs and faints from the venom.

The survivors rig a radio to listen for news, but the outside world remains oblivious to the attack. When the radio finally yields a signal, Hansen discovers that Camp Verde—and the lodge—are encased in spider silk cocoons, signaling a devastating, complete takeover.