Why Are Spiders Falling From the Sky?
WouterThe mysterious phenomenon of spiders falling from the sky has fascinated both scientists and the general public. This eerie phenomenon has occurred for centuries.
Researchers are interested in how spiders can “balloon” through silk. The trick is to collect charged particles in the web. This helps the spider lift off and fly to new locations.
Scientists have been working on creating an artificial platform that mimics the flight path of spiders. This can be done by using computer simulation.
Researchers have also been studying how the spiders’ silk interacts with air currents. It turns out that it’s possible to see the silk when light hits it just right.
One example is the Joro spider. This giant arachnid, which measures up to a palm, is found in Japan and Korea. It is also becoming more common in the Southeastern U.S. and is expected to spread northward.
The spider is not venomous. It does, however, pose a real threat to people if it bites. It is an invasive species, but does not seem to disrupt ecological systems.
Ballooning behavior can be used by many different species of spiders. Some of the larger ones, like the slow loris, are venomous. Some are cute, but they can be dangerous if they bite.
Spiders are generally peaceful creatures. But a few, such as the venomous blue-ringed octopus, have the ability to bite. They arrived in the US as stowaways in seabound shipping containers. The brown recluse spider is slowly colonizing the east coast. It will take at least five to ten years to reach Florida.
