An observational study of ballooning in large spiders: Nanoscale multifibers enable large spiders' soaring flight.

ABSTRACT: The physical mechanism of aerial dispersal of spiders, "ballooning behavior," is still unclear because of the lack of serious scientific observations and experiments. Therefore, as a first step in clarifying the phenomenon, we studied the ballooning behavior of relatively large spiders (heavier than 5 mg) in nature. Additional wind tunnel tests to identify ballooning silks were implemented in the laboratory. From our observation, it seems obvious that spiders actively evaluate the condition of the wind with their front leg (leg I) and wait for the preferable wind condition for their ballooning takeoff. In the wind tunnel tests, as-yet-unknown physical properties of ballooning fibers (length, thickness, and number of fibers) were identified. Large spiders, 16-20 mg Xysticus spp., spun 50-60

SUBMITTER: Cho M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6001951 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature