What is a web, probably quite clearly every person imagines. It is unlikely that there will be anyone who would not encounter such "lace" in the forest or in his own house. However, in everyday life, people usually think little about how spiders make it. And the goals of creating networks are usually presented by people in a very truncated version. At the same time, the web can be considered one of the most amazing and mysterious natural phenomena.
What is a web and how is it done
Spiders are the only creatures with special glands that are able to secrete fluid of incredible composition. It hardens almost instantly in contact with air - there is not much time for a spider to weave a network from it. Moreover, the secret allocated is of two types. One so-called dry - the basis of the "lace" is created from it. The second one has an increased stickiness - the spider treats its creation with it so that the insect that touches it could not get out of the trap.
What are networks for?
Having understood what the web is, we will understand what goals it is created for. Contrary to general misconceptions, spider "lace" is used not only for hunting, although this is the prevailing task. However, there are others.
- Cocoons weave from the web into which the spider lays its eggs.
- Production is wrapped in it for preservation in reserve.
- Wintering is being built from nets; those of the spiders that wait for the cold in earthen minks make a very witty door-cover that closes the entrance.
- The female who entered the mating season signals this to potential partners and indicates the path to herself with the help of a thread saturated with pheromones.
- Young individuals of certain species move to new hunting grounds on a long string carried away by the wind.
So the web is a very important and multifunctional part of the life of arachnids.
Curious facts
The web is still not fully understood by scientists. And modern science is still not at all in a position to repeat this natural phenomenon.
- The spider's web is simply stunning. If weave a network with a football field from such strands, it will be able to stop the flying Boeing. In South America, there are spider webs over which monkeys cross the ravines, and in New Guinea, they catch fish from nets from the web.
- The spider “lace” has electrostatic properties, which allows its threads to rush to the prey passing by.
- Many spiders eat their old webs.
- The web is considered almost the easiest material in the world: if you stretch it along the entire equator, it would weigh only 340 grams.