2007-03-04 16:15:29 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
If you look at an orb-weaving spider in its web, you'll notice that the body is held slightly clear of the web, especially when the spider is moving about. The spider has only minimal (but vital) body contact with its web via the claws and bristles at the tip of each leg. Compared to its prey, which crashes or blunders into the web, the spider has only a tiny portion of its surface area in contact with a very small amount of silk at any time. This is obviously an important factor when moving on a sticky web - the less contact the better.
Another important factor is that not all silk lines in a sticky web are sticky. For example, the central part of an orb web (where the spider sits) is made of dry silk, as are the spokes supporting the sticky spiral line, which the spider can use when moving around its web. It's only when the spider makes a quick, direct charge across the sticky spiral to capture prey that it may cause some disruption to the web - but it never gets stuck.
Spiders also spend a lot of time grooming their legs. The spider draws the ends of its legs through its jaws to clean them of debris, which may include silk fragments. This is a very important maintenance activity that contributes to efficient function of the claws and bristles. As well as cleaning them, some secretions from the mouthparts may help make the leg tips less susceptible to sticking..
2007-03-04 16:23:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not all the strands of any spider web are truly sticky, most of the longer "spoke-like" strands are not sticky, they are used mostly for structural rigidity, they basically make the frame for the rest of the web.
The tiny interconnecting strands are quite sticky and would be able to capture other spiders. Even the spider that made the web could be potentially snared in their own web if removed by hand and thrown into it. The reason most spiders do not get stuck in their own webs is because they know where to walk, to avoid the sticky strands, plus they have specialized claws on their legs that allow them to walk across the strands effortlessly.
If you were to throw a spider in a different web, it would most likely get stuck, especially if it landed on its back, if it were to land upright, then it may be able to free itself.
2007-03-08 14:57:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When a spider spins a web, some of the strands are sticky and others aren't. The spider knows which kind of silk is on which strands, and only walks on the non-sticky ones.
2007-03-05 00:20:43 · answer #3 · answered by Spyderbear 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Spiders make both sticky and non-sticky strands of webbing. They use both sorts to weave their webs. They run on the non-sticky ones. Good luck.
2007-03-05 00:20:48 · answer #4 · answered by Witchyluck 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Non sticky and sticky web stands. that is why you can't put a spider on a differnet web.
2007-03-05 04:33:19 · answer #5 · answered by Txrunnner 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
spiders have legs covered with special oil from birth.also not all the parts of its web are sticky.only the vertical ones are!!!
2007-03-05 06:16:10 · answer #6 · answered by genius 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They got these little "feeler guys" on their legs that allow them to maintain balance and repel the sticky substance.
This was just a guess but search "spider" on www.wikipedia.com
2007-03-05 00:21:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
They know where to step on.
2007-03-08 08:04:47 · answer #8 · answered by Elango 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋