Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Happy1 on 05/01/2009 09:06:55

Title: Can spiders spin webs below freezing temperatures?
Post by: Happy1 on 05/01/2009 09:06:55

Do spiders spin webs outdoors in temperatures below 32F?

Title: Re: Can spiders spin webs below freezing temperatures?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 05/01/2009 09:55:55

Here is a good article "The effects of temperature on the web-building behaviour of the common house spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum"

at: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/119154636/PDFSTART

Title: Re: Can spiders spin webs below freezing temperatures?
Post by: Happy1 on 06/01/2009 11:53:01

Thanks so much for a very interesting article. I feel, however, that I must rephrase my query: is there a type of spider, in the rural midwest of France, who spins a thick web in freezing outdoor temperatures? I have mysterious webs that appear in the early mornings on both metal and wood fencing - some are so thick that they look artificial. They have a light gelatinous quality when touched and disappear once the sun/warmer temp arrives.

If you could help me out here I'd be most grateful.

Title: Re: Can spiders spin webs below freezing temperatures?
Post by: paul.fr on 06/01/2009 15:08:02

Are you sure that these webs are being spun when the temperature is that low? Could it not be that the webs, or the dew on them, is freezing?

Title: Re: Can spiders spin webs below freezing temperatures?
Post by: Happy1 on 06/01/2009 15:45:08

Thank you for your suggestion, Paul...I can only assume that the web are spun during the night. There are no webs when I lock up my house at night which is around 10pm. They are there in the very early morning sometimes around 4 or 5 am. I must add that these do not occur every morning. I could say they are infrequent. There are no spiders to be seen nor any bugs (but then again the latter could be quite tiny and difficult to see.)I have consulted some neighbours and some seem surprised at the webs and others say that they are common in winter. I'd originally thought that someone was having a little fun with their new American neighbour (faux webs from an aerosol)but the placement of some of the webs renders this impossible.

Title: Re: Can spiders spin webs below freezing temperatures?
Post by: RD on 06/01/2009 16:22:22

The freezing overnight temperatures makes the webs conspicuous with frost.
The webs are equally prevalent at other times but are usually nearly invisible.

Title: Re: Can spiders spin webs below freezing temperatures?
Post by: Happy1 on 07/01/2009 07:15:29

Thank you, RD.  That is curious. I thought I'd examined the web sites carefully during the day and assumed these webs had just 'melted'....but why would they appear so infrequently? Perhaps this is due to some temp-related webbing cycle as explained in the paper kindly suggested by Chemistry4Me? I'm not far form U. of Bordeaux and perhaps there is an entymologist who can explain this phenomena more specifically within the context of our particular environment...again, thanks to everyone who has offered explanations. If anyone else has theories about these winter webs please place them here.