ELI5 How do spiders decide which place to craft spider webs?
byu/freshp_hil inexplainlikeimfive
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If the two anchor points are too far to reasonably climb, they let the wind carry a thin leader thread across the gap and then reel it back in so it’s taught. Then they use that lead to carry a much thicker and stronger thread across the gap and anchor a web.
If the anchor points aren’t that far, they can just drag the anchor fiber over manually.
> Do they set one side then crawl down the object and up another?
Yes.
> and slurp up the access web?
No, they just go around the object a few times to get the string tightened. Or they stick the string onto the second object, and then they just go to the first again. Once the web is woven, they eat the excess material.
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