Here’s how spiders that go overboard use light to find land

Biologist Brian Gall was flinging stowaway spiders out of his kayak when he noticed an interesting pattern: After landing on the water’s surface, the arachnids quickly darted to the nearest shoreline, no matter how far he paddled from dry land. 

The passengers, elongate stilt spiders (Tetragnatha elongata), spin their webs on the edges of ponds to catch prey. When the spiders tumble into the water, which happens often, they rely on surface tension to evade predators and skitter to shore. But just how the stilt spiders navigate the water’s surface has been unclear — until now. The arachnids appear to use light reflected off the water to pinpoint the

→ Continue reading at Science News

More from author

Related posts

Advertisment

Latest posts

Financial Mastermind Groups: Unlocking Success Potential

Mastermind groups possess the power to propel individuals to new heights of success by connecting them with like-minded peers. These supportive environments often lead...

How a patent dispute is affecting Apple customers

NPR's A Martinez speaks with analyst Philip Elmer-DeWitt about a patent dispute that has Apple taking its latest smartwatches off the shelves, as well...

California adopts rules to allow wastewater to be transformed into drinking water

California regulators have adopted rules that will eventually allow sewage to be transformed into drinking water that goes straight to taps. It's been touted...