Spider silk is one of nature’s most beautiful wonders. Sometimes, within these intricate webs, you can spot zigzag formations known as stabilimenta. These aren’t garlands or streamers that a spider uses to decorate its home for a celebration. Instead, they are structures characterized by a high degree of ultraviolet light reflection, as reported by Popular Science. Until recently, these formations were thought to serve various functions, such as moisture absorption, temperature regulation for the spider, or deterring predatory wasps.
However, the full role of stabilimenta in the lives of spiders has yet to be completely uncovered. A new study focused on stabilimenta has revealed that these zigzags capture vibrations traveling through the web, helping spiders locate their prey more quickly.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
Researchers from the University of Bologna, the University of Trento (Italy), and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences aimed to determine why spiders weave stabilimenta into their webs. Typically, these “decorations” appear as zigzag formations that stretch between two adjacent strands of silk or wrap around the web.
The team modeled a series of scenarios to observe how webs adorned with stabilimenta react when prey, such as a mosquito, becomes ensnared.
They found that when a spider stretches stabilimenta along the main (radial) threads of the web, the vibrations caused by the prey spread over a larger area. Consequently, the spider’s chances of a successful catch increase. In other words, stabilimenta enhance the spider’s ability to accurately pinpoint the location of prey caught in the web.
The researchers suggested that this study could help engineers develop more advanced synthetic materials in the future.
The findings of the study were published in the journal PLOS One.
Photo: Unsplash
