How Do Spiders Stick to Walls and Ceilings?
WouterSpiders have a lot of tricks up their sleeve to stick to surfaces. They may be known for their ability to create a web, but they also cling to walls and ceilings. Their feet and legs are covered with tiny, flexible hairs that help them do so. In addition to this, some spiders even use silk to cling to their surroundings.
Some species of spiders, such as the jumping spider, have a tuft of hairs at the bottom of their leg. This makes the legs easy to scale wet or oily surfaces. Other types of spiders, such as wolf spiders, use pollen adhesive to keep their glue thick.
Spiders have also mastered dry adhesion. Researchers are working to figure out how they achieve this. For example, some spiders wrap themselves in silk while others spin a silk ball.
Another important factor is the type of glue they use. Spiders, like many insects, have glandular adhesive in their mouths. This glue forms a thin film that coats the surface of their foot. It keeps it from drying out and helps the spider to remain attached to the surface.
The spider’s feet are covered in tiny, triangular hairs. These are called setae. Setae are essentially hooks that attach spiders to surfaces.
Scientists have compared the adhesive pads of 225 climbing species. Most have setae, but the proportion of sticky pads is greater in larger animals.
However, some closely related species did not get the sticky pad of their size.
