Stronger Than Steel: The Marvel of Spider Silk

Spiders belong to the broader family known as "arachnids." This group includes eight-legged creatures of various sizes, such as scorpions, but spiders stand apart due to their web-spinning capability.

Over 37,000 spider species are identified today, but due to their elusive nature, experts estimate the existence of nearly 200,000 species. All spiders are venomous, yet only 30 are deadly to humans. Most don’t bite humans, but some may if provoked.

The Art of Web Spinning

At a spider's abdomen tip, glands excrete a protein-based substance. This is ejected under pressure, immediately solidifying into a thin strand upon hitting the air. This strand is used to create intricate webs, often woven in darkness, with stunning symmetry and precision. In just thirty minutes, a spider can weave a web with a diameter of up to five feet!

A spider sprinkles glue on its webs to trap small insects. Some spin long threads with a drop of shiny glue at the end to attract flying insects for a gourmet meal. Occasionally, spiders construct webs for large insects like beetles, centipedes, and even lizards. "Orb-weaving spiders" are renowned for their intricate, often-photographed webs, admired for their beauty and craftsmanship.

Webs serve spiders beyond trapping prey. They are used for paths, egg sacs, sealing openings, and more. Their legs, equipped with claws and "suckers" (adhesive pads), enable them to crawl on walls and ceilings. Spiders navigate their thin webs effortlessly without tearing them, utilizing special leg coatings to prevent adhesion.

Crossing Rivers and Seas

For river crossings, a spider climbs a tree, releases a long thread until the wind entangles it on branches across the river, allowing the spider to traverse its makeshift bridge. Young spiders, upon hatching, instinctively release long threads into the wind to sail at various heights and distances. Sailors report seeing spiders carried by the wind over open seas. Spiders have been spotted, even caught, by pilots at altitudes exceeding those of high-flying birds!

In turbulent winds, spiders shorten their threads to maintain control, extending them when needed for smoother flights. Considering their ability to survive long periods without food, it’s conceivable for spiders to cross oceans by harnessing the wind. Following the 1883 volcanic eruption that wiped all life on Krakatoa near Java, researchers found the first returning creature months later was a spiderling, airborne to its new home.

Confusing the Enemy

When escaping, a spider might drop, leaving a thread behind to climb back once the threat passes... While humans aren't natural enemies, spiders fear foes like lizards, birds, and specific wasps far more. Some large spiders even prey on smaller spider species if hungry... To elude predators, spiders craft intricate burrows they alone can navigate, sometimes with "decoy entrances" leading nowhere to confuse their adversaries. Some species build "double burrows" featuring emergency exits. A few burrow in the ground, sealing their homes with webs. The "door" blends seamlessly with the soil, making detection difficult when closed.

The Infamous Black Widow

No spider discussion is complete without mentioning the notorious Black Widow. Contrary to popular belief, the female doesn’t usually kill and eat the male post-mating, though it occasionally occurs.

The Black Widow is glossy black with a red, hourglass-shaped mark on its abdomen. Females reach up to 4 cm with legs extended, and males about half that size with longer legs.

Primarily feeding on insects, the Black Widow sometimes preys on aphids, centipedes, millipedes, and other spiders. It spins sticky webs, swiftly immobilizing captured prey with venom. Within 10 minutes, paralyzed prey remains ensnared as the spider injects digestive enzymes, retreating to its hideout until consumption is complete.

Despite its potent venom, deaths from Black Widow bites are rare.

Spider silk might soon serve as a raw material for innovative products. As one of nature's most flexible and strong materials, scientists aim to incorporate it into protective gear and parachutes. There are plans to use webs for special cables to construct steep suspension bridges, promising unprecedented strength...

Who would've thought such marvels emerge from a small spider? How great are Your works, Hashem.