Why Don’t Spiders Get Stuck in Their Webs?
Created By RISC | 2 weeks ago
Last modified date : 2 weeks ago
What’s stronger than steel and more flexible than rubber? Spider silk!
Spider silk is incredibly tough. If a strand were as thick as a pencil, it could stop a Boeing 747 in mid-flight. Think about Spider-Man shooting his webs when fighting villains or swinging between buildings… Those webs are incredibly strong!
But there’s more to spider silk than just its strength.
Spider silk has different types of threads – sticky and non-sticky. Each thread serves a unique purpose. Spiders have 7 silk-producing glands in their abdomen, and each gland produces a different type of silk:
• Glandula Aggregate: Produces sticky silk.
• Glandula Ampulleceae – major: Produces strong, durable silk for walking.
• Glandula Ampulleceae – minor: Produces temporary walking silk during web-making.
• Glandula Pyrifomes: Produces adhesive silk for attachment.
• Glandula Anciniformes: Produces flexible capture silk for catching prey.
• Glandula Tubiliformes: Produces silk for building nests or egg sacs.
• Glandula Corontae: Produces sticky, adhesive silk.
Since spiders create these fibers, they know exactly where to walk on their webs without getting stuck. Their legs also have tiny hairs and special hooks that allow them to walk confidently on the sticky strands.
Beyond catching insects or prey, spider silk has another intriguing function: it helps spiders sense their environment through vibrations. With such incredible properties, spider silk has inspired many innovations, including bulletproof vests, safety belts, and even surgical sutures.
Nature’s wonders surround us every day. Stay tuned for more on the world’s amazing creatures from RISC.
Story by: Kotchakorn Rattanama, Biodiversity Researcher, RISC
References:
Esme Mathis. (2022). Australian Geographic. "Unspinning the secrets of spider webs." From: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2024/07/cobra-bite-treatment/ (Accessed on 1 August 2024)
http://oservice.skru.ac.th/ebookft/601/chapter_7.pdf (Accessed on 1 August 2024)