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Outdoors spider spin a web known as the orb, a masterpiece of
symmetry that takes on a beautiful aspect when spangled with morning dew. Using
abdominal pressure, the female spider forces silk to flow outwards, initially
attaching one end of the first strand, the bridge, to an object, stem leaves,
etc. Dropping the strand, she run across the ground to another high spot, pulls
the strand tight and attaches it firmly in place with a spit of sticky glue
from another gland.
Once the first horizontal strand is fixed, the spider drops two plumb lines
of silk, one at either end and construct a second bridge lower down to form
a framework. Within the framework, she spins a series of radii with a hub at
the center. Only the outer radius is coated with sticky globules of a substance
produced by a specialist organ called the amputate gland. Once she is done,
shell deposit more sticky globules an interval on the other radii, leaving
spaces to step between.
As a final touch, she spins a warning strand of silk between the nest and the
radius closest to the hub of the web, so when something lands, the strand vibrates.
She then hurries to the center of the web along the untreated warning strand.
Spider has poor eyesight, so they need to rely on other senses to determine
the size and strength of the prey. If the victim is unmanageable, say a deadly,
poisonous insect; the strand may be cut off. If its large, like a wasp
or hornet, inedible, the spider will squirt silk at it from a safe distance.
Then the spider can make its approach slowly via the built-in
stepping stone on the web strands. If she accidentally step on a sticky globule,
her body will produce an oily secretion that acts as chemical thinner, enabling
her to free herself.
P.S : the guinness book of why - donald mcfarlan and ian bishop 101 things you don't know about science and no one else does either - james trefil