2007-01-09 07:36:19 · 4 answers · asked by []D[][]V[][]D 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
An old English word for spider was 'coppe', and they were called 'coppewebs'. Over time, the pronunciation and spelling changed to 'cobweb', and 'coppe' dropped out of use. Why English dropped the name for spider alone and kept it in cobweb is just one of those odd things English has done over the centuries..
2007-01-09 07:57:07 · answer #1 · answered by dollhaus 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They are not really. Apparently they are 2 different things. A spider web is when the spider is living there, and taking care of it every day. A cob web is after the spider has abandoned it. Then it gets really dusty and dirty. But where the word "cob" originated from is a mystery to me! Unless it came from the same meaning as "a small, roundish lump!"
2016-05-22 23:33:26 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many true cob-webs are simply abandoned spider webs. Spider silk is one of the strongest natural substances on earth and it can persist long after the spider has died, or has moved on. The sticky strands easily collect air-borne particles of dust giving it that dirty appearance.
Some spiders, namely the members of the family Pholcidae, are known as cobweb or cellar spiders, this is because their webs are very dirty and unkempt. This is simply their strategy for catching prey, the webs are not perfect like that of the garden spiders....
2007-01-09 08:19:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Cob webs are not spider webs. Cob webs are those dusty things you find in the corners of your house.
2007-01-09 07:45:01 · answer #4 · answered by llmotherof2ll 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋