How Do Spiders Make Webs?
WouterSpiders make webs to catch food and protect their dwellings. They also recycle silk to make new webs.
When a spider is building a web, it first decides which silk thread type is needed. Then, it uses its spinnerets to spin the thread. The spider may use a specialized silk gland to produce the thread.
Spider silk is light and strong. It has the same strength as steel but weighs 50 times less. It can stick to tree protuberances or airborne insects. The thread is also flexible, making it an excellent catching device.
In addition to catching food, some spiders use their webs to warn other spiders of a predator. Another spider uses the sticky silk to immobilize prey.
Many spiders use their webs to attract mates. They make their home in webs that are attached to the ground or trees. Male spiders are able to get away from predators quickly by moving around. Females, however, do not need to move as much.
Some spiders have sticky webs, which cling to the insect’s hairs and burs. Others have simple, woven webs. Some build nets underneath their bodies, while other spiders have mazes of webs to ensnare their prey.
Depending on the species, spiders produce different types of silk. For example, orb weavers make webs that consist of elastic catching threads that spiral into a center. It is estimated that about a quarter of the 45,000 known species of spiders construct spiral webs.
