|
In the Spiders category of the Yahoo! Directory, we found an excellent Spider Biology FAQ from the Australian Museum that tackles the sticky topic of spider webs. There are a couple of reasons why arachnids manage to steer clear of foreign entanglements. For starters, only the connecting strands of a spider web are adhesive -- the elements that connect the primary spokes. The main spokes of the web, which the spider uses to navigate, and the center of the web, where the spider sits in wait for prey, are
made of dry silk and are not sticky. This trivia column from Washington State University explains how spiders use their spinnerets to cover dry silk with sticky globules of adhesive silk to make the spiral strand of their web. Secondly, a spider actually has very minimal body contact with its web. Notice how the spider keeps just a few points of contact with its web in this close-up photograph. Spiders also groom their legs constantly, keeping them clear of debris and excess silk. For more details on our fellow web travelers, consult the new Yahooligans! Animals section, which features this
insect field guide full of plenty of arachnid facts for kids and grown-ups alike.
|
