![]() Most insects caught by spiders are small a larger web increases the odds of catching more flies. When you see a web with old exoskeletons and egg sacs hanging in it, it could well be the case that the spider left those on purpose as camouflage. Spiders are sneaky.ĭecorations come with a risk while they might attract more insects, they are also more visible to predators who may threaten the spiders. The decorations may also resemble vegetation gaps where insects are more prone to fly. Spiderwebs are much more reflective in UV light, possibly attracting insects. Many insects have better visual perception in UV wavelengths of light. However, many spiders seem to be far more proactive in their web building, building webs that are designed to actively attract insect prey, not just trap the unlucky. The presence of deliberate structure dispels another common misperception about spiders, that they set up in a promising area of insect travel and wait to see what happens. Spiderwebs don’t intercept prey they attract them. ![]() The name “stabilimenta” represents the bias of early researchers who assumed that these structures were structural, but the absence of stabilimenta in the webs of nocturnal spiders strongly suggests that these structures are designed to be seen. Some spiders, particularly the large family known as orb weavers, actively decorate their webs with extra silk designs known stabilimenta. ![]() Most people assume that the design is purely functional, but this is not always the case. The webs also inform the spider when there is prey trapped inside. The strength-to-weight ratio of the material is remarkable, and spiders seem to be able to rig a web just about anywhere. A spiderweb sparkling in the sunlight can be a truly beautiful sight, but these webs have some additional surprises. ![]()
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