A spiderweb glitters in the evening light (photo by Aaron Zaremsky)
‘World Wide Webs’
- Published: August 2, 2011
Spiders certainly don’t have beauty in mind when they build their webs. To them it’s simply practical. Yet spiderwebs can be some of the most beautiful trinkets in the natural world. When the light is just right and there’s a little sprinkle of morning dew on the threads, the result can be breathtaking.
Spiders use special glands in their abdomen to produce the silky threads. Their webs come in various shapes and have different functions. The most familiar spiderwebs are passive structures that capture flying insects. Some spiders use their silk as a sort of bungee cord, while others use it as a net to capture prey. Different uses, but all quite fascinating.
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