Most species of spiders weave a web, but not all, for example, tarantulas. Many tarantulas burrow into the ground and release a little cobweb, curtaining the entrance to the "cave" to make flying insects easier to catch. All spiders, regardless of whether they weave a web or not, have several things in common: they have eight legs, they all feed on insects. Remember that spiders themselves are not insects.
Spiders are arachnids, or arachnids - these are animals in which the group of ticks and scorpions are included. There are about 40 thousand species of spiders.
Why do we need a web?
They can weave very simple products, or they can weave real works of art. Even when the web is ready, the spider does not settle in it forever. The spider itself may lurk under the roofing shingles or in the corner of the window binding, or under the rock. The purpose of the web is to catch insects. It may take several hours to weave a quality web.
How do spiders weave a web?
For example, a weaver spider uses several types of threads to build a web. To create the basis, so to speak of the frame, he secrets a dry web. And in order to catch insects, the weaver imposes a sticky web on the base. A spider thread (a kind of "silk") is secreted by special glands on the spider's abdomen. Different glands secrete different types of silk. A spider can use one or another spider material depending on the purpose of weaving the web.
A round spider starts weaving a web, throwing a thread into the wind. Silk flies in the wind and clings to some object, such as a tree branch, which allows the spider to climb up this thread and add another thread to the original one to make it stronger. After the spider makes the general contours of the web, he spins a thread connecting one side of the web to the other. From the center of this connecting thread, the spider begins to weave another thread, which will connect the center of the web to the side thread.
Then the spider will lay a lot of connecting dry threads from the edges of the web along its radii to the center, like spokes in a bicycle wheel. Then these "knitting needles" are braided with circular threads. It turns a spiral dry web. Then an adhesive thread is applied to the surface of the dry web. Now the spider gets rid of the dry web - eats it. The fishing gear is done, insect traps are ready.
Interesting fact: some webs may be more complicated, others may be simpler.
Web design
The design of the web, experts believe, varies depending on the method of hunting. For us, the entire web seems the same and made up of completely standard elements. Such a deceptive impression is created because we do not see the web in ultraviolet light.
Why does the web attract insects?
Ultraviolet rays are an integral part of sunlight, and it is the part that forms the tan of the skin. But the frequency of ultraviolet waves is too high and is not perceived by our eyes, so for us it is an invisible light.However, many insects are able to see ultraviolet rays, especially those that feed on flower nectar and pollen. Many spiders weave such a web that attracts these insects. How it's done? First, a spider weaves a web of threads that almost do not reflect ultraviolet rays. Then he weaves another type of thread into the construction of the web, which shines brightly in ultraviolet rays.
What is the point of such a design? According to many researchers, the shape of a thread that reflects ultraviolet rays is similar to the shape of colors that also reflect these rays. A hungry insect is looking for something to eat. And suddenly, in front of her, she sees a coveted flower, sparkling with ultraviolet rays. The insect flies to the flower and enters the network, where a no less hungry spider has long been waiting.
