Concept in Definition ABC

The cobweb is a web that is formed exclusively by the spider and that generates interweaving the threads that she secretes through her spinning glands, located at the back of her abdomens.

It is worth noting that the oldest spiders have few of these glands, while more species evolved have many more that allow them to synthesize cobwebs to apply in various cases. Furthermore, we must say that this act of building of cobwebs involves a large expenditure of Energy for the spider with which it is usual that they are eaten later to recover it.

The silk of protein spider that is spun precisely by the spiders has many uses for these famous arachnids, to develop networks destined to the hunting, nests to protect their eggs, transport, own food, and protection from some flying predators, such as wasps and some types of birds, among others, but their properties are also being investigated to produce, for example, silk and develop even more the industry of the tissue. And on the other hand, as it has been proven that some cobwebs have such a solid thickness, they are studied for future applications in the field of industry and

The thousand and one forms of cobwebs

The forms that a spider web can present are varied, they can have a funnel, leaf, spiral shape, among the most recognized, and also its consistency can be diverse depending on the type of spider that produces it, sticky silk or silk with hairs.

There are some certainly sophisticated and with specific purposes such as those that present irregular entanglements and that the spiders weave especially to simply capture their prey, usually flying insects that fall on the networks.

The Spider-Man smash

On the other hand, we cannot avoid that the cobweb and spiders have become hyper popular as a consequence of the superhero of comic Spider-Man or Spiderman, who precisely has several powers similar to those of spiders and who allow, for example, to generate a spider web or climb high positions due to their ability to adhere to walls. This superhero was born in the comic as we pointed out many years ago, in 1962, and then the great success of his story caused him to also move to the small screen and the seventh art.

Photos: iStock - mtcurado / Fodor90