Why Don't Spiders Get Stuck In Their Own Webs? Science Fiction

.

Welcome to Science Fiction,

the show which investigates scientific mysteries...

And never leaves you dangling.

Aaah!

Bud-E, what have you got for us?

Today's question comes all the way from Alice in Dallas.

There may be over 40,000 different species of spider in the world,

but all of them are known to spin silk

from glands located in their abdomens.

But sure, what would they be wanting silk for? Running up frocks, is it?

Firstly, it enables them to get from A to B quickly and efficiently,

and many species also use it to build webs with which to trap prey,

like flies and moths.

That's brilliant.

It means they can just sit around waiting for the takeaway to show up!

They even coat their webs with glue.

So if you landed in one, you'd be in a right sticky situation. Aah!

Now, spiders can walk wherever they want in their own web

because they emit an oil which repels their own glue.

Urgh, emitting oil - that's rotten!

We know this because spiders are more likely to get stuck

after they've been washed.

Actually, that reminds me of a summer job I had once.

And if all that wasn't enough,

spiders also have fine hairs on their legs, called seddae,

which are repellent to glue.

Actually, Doctor, speaking of fine hairy legs,

what do you think of that there?

-Uh... Not now, Professor.

-Okey-dokey.

So, Alice, spiders don't get stuck in their own webs

because the oil and the seddae prevent glue

from coming in contact with their legs.

And that's no science fiction - that's a fact, boy.

# Science Fiction. #

So, Dr Knowles, do you have hairy legs yourself?

Do you want to throw one up there and we'll have a look at it?