Questions for the Knowledge Pool

lumberjim · 05-13-2004, 11:50 PM

Tonight as I was walking, I noticed a spiderweb. A single strand that ran from just below the lamp on a street light, across the street, and into a tree. Does anyone know how a spider does this, or why? It didn't seem to be floating on a breeze or anything. In fact, the wind was blowing gently accross it.

Do the spiders hitch a ride on a bird's back and reel out web as the bird flies across to the tree? why is it pulled tight? I realize that I've always wondered about it, but never bothered trying to find out.

xoxoxoBruce · 05-14-2004, 03:16 AM

They ride the wind if they can.
If not, they walk, trailing out a non-sticky line, to pull up from the other end.

lumberjim · 05-14-2004, 08:03 AM

but why?

LN · 05-14-2004, 08:49 AM

To get to the other side?

Undertoad · 05-14-2004, 09:10 AM

Too easy for the flying insects to evolve the tendency not to fly through smaller or enclosed places.

05-14-2004, 12:15 PM

Here is a site that will tell you more about spider webs than I bet you ever wanted to know:

http://www.brantacan.co.uk/spider_webs.htm

ladysycamore · 05-14-2004, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lumberjim
but why?

Why ask why?

Elspode · 05-14-2004, 03:31 PM

Spiders first run a couple of anchor lines before spinning the actual "catching stuff" part of the web. They can often be quite long, like bridge cables.

lumberjim · 05-14-2004, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Elspode
Spiders first run a couple of anchor lines before spinning the actual "catching stuff" part of the web. They can often be quite long, like bridge cables.

well, then this must have been a pretty optimistic spider.......apparently he had set out to catch himself some cars.

glatt · 05-14-2004, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lumberjim

well, then this must have been a pretty optimistic spider.......apparently he had set out to catch himself some cars.

Reminds me of that old Far Side comic with the frog stuck by it's tongue to the bottom of a jet because it optimistically tried to catch the jet like a fly.

blue · 05-14-2004, 05:15 PM

You didn't sell any cars today did you?

Griff · 05-14-2004, 08:08 PM

I'd say somebody knocked off early...

Elspode · 05-14-2004, 08:15 PM

The length and location of the anchor cable doesn't have anything to do with the ultimate size of the web itself. It is just an anchor point. Hey, it is miraculous that they can do it all. Let's not expect them to architects AND engineers! :p

lumberjim · 05-14-2004, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by blue58
You didn't sell any cars today did you?

Thursday night to me is like Friday night to you normal people. In my business, you work Saturday, so everyone takes another day of the week off. I've had Friday for about 2 years now. I prefer it to having saturday off. In fact, we rotate one manager off on each saturday except the last of the month. You have to work your normal off day, though. This was my weekend, but I'd rather be off and able to do all of my errands when the idiots are at work ( not you idiots, the idiots that congest my local area). Also, Saturdays are my most lucrative days, so I work them.

Today I went driving back and forth to home depot 3 times. And got sunburned from having the top down in the Wrangler. It was hazy, so you didnt feel the sun........sneaky bastard that it is......I have not bought this years bottle of sunscreen yet.

On my first trip, I filled the Jeep up with Peat moss. 11 yards of it. Then I went back and rented a rototiller. FUN. I only had it for 4 hours, so I had to go back yet again to return it. I got a new pushmower for Jinx while I was there. And some more solder so I could attach a new hose bib ....because this fucking old ass cute, quaint historic, house did not have A FUCKING OUTSIDE SPIGOT!!!.....boy, the things you miss when you look at a new house. And I was trying to be careful, having missed a bunch of stupid shit the first time I bought a house.......*breathing now* ......

the home depot is like 25 minutes from my house. That's 150 minutes driving back and forth. 2 1/2 hours in the Sun plus the time I was Rototillering. Yeah, I'm pretty red. dumbass.

wolf · 05-14-2004, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lumberjim
....because this fucking old ass cute, quaint historic, house did not have A FUCKING OUTSIDE SPIGOT!!!.....

Can't you just have the boy haul the bucket up from the well?

05-13-2004, 11:50 PM	#1
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	Questions for the Knowledge Pool Tonight as I was walking, I noticed a spiderweb. A single strand that ran from just below the lamp on a street light, across the street, and into a tree. Does anyone know how a spider does this, or why? It didn't seem to be floating on a breeze or anything. In fact, the wind was blowing gently accross it. Do the spiders hitch a ride on a bird's back and reel out web as the bird flies across to the tree? why is it pulled tight? I realize that I've always wondered about it, but never bothered trying to find out. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

05-14-2004, 03:16 AM	#2
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	They ride the wind if they can. If not, they walk, trailing out a non-sticky line, to pull up from the other end. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

05-14-2004, 08:03 AM	#3
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	but why? __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

05-14-2004, 03:31 PM	#8
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Spiders first run a couple of anchor lines before spinning the actual "catching stuff" part of the web. They can often be quite long, like bridge cables. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

05-14-2004, 05:15 PM	#11
blue Operations Operative Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Northern WI Posts: 739	I noticed a spiderweb You didn't sell any cars today did you? __________________ If you spot a tornado, always remember to point at it, yell "tornado!", and run like hell.

05-14-2004, 08:49 AM	#4
LN Dog O'Nine Tails Join Date: May 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 20	To get to the other side?

05-14-2004, 09:10 AM	#5
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Too easy for the flying insects to evolve the tendency not to fly through smaller or enclosed places.

05-14-2004, 12:15 PM	#6
marichiko Guest Posts: n/a	Here is a site that will tell you more about spider webs than I bet you ever wanted to know: http://www.brantacan.co.uk/spider_webs.htm

05-14-2004, 08:08 PM	#12
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I'd say somebody knocked off early... __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

05-14-2004, 08:15 PM	#13
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	The length and location of the anchor cable doesn't have anything to do with the ultimate size of the web itself. It is just an anchor point. Hey, it is miraculous that they can do it all. Let's not expect them to architects AND engineers! :p __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

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