The Mysterious Silkhenge Spider: What do you think the design is for?
science·@akuda·
0.000 HBDThe Mysterious Silkhenge Spider: What do you think the design is for?
<html> <p> These amazing and tiny web structures are found in the Amazon. They only recently have been discovered and their unusual design has caused much speculation. The center of the structure is the spider's egg but the other part's purposes are somewhat a mystery. </p> <p><img src="https://steemitimages.com/DQmQ6UdtSefCFKbqEhsg8pDCAjJq98H7LDkHmHSRSKDx7b3/1388751813-1.jpg" width="880" height="586"/></p> <center><p>Photo Credit: Troy Alexander/Perunature.com</p></center> <p><img src="https://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/12/SILK-STRUCTURE-007.jpg" width="1000" height="667"/></p> <center><p>Photo Credit: Lary Reeves/Wired.com </p></center> <p>As you can see these structures are deceptively small, only measuring about half a centimeter in diameter. Their discovery sparked much speculation and it wasn't until after astute observation that it was determined to belong to a small spider.</p> <p><img src="https://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2013/12/Spider-660x439.jpg" width="660" height="439"/></p> <center><p>Photo Credit: Jeff Cremer/Perunature.com</p></center> <p>This is one of the tiny hatched spiderlings. The egg sacks seemingly only contain one and sometimes two spiders. This is very counter-intuitive as most spiders lay many eggs and guard the sacks personally. The silkhenge spider seems to invest lots of time and effort to see a limited number of offspring born.</p> <p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/AazOVak.jpg"/></p> <center><p>Photo Credit: Jeff Cremer/Perunature.com</p></center> <p>This above photo shows a small mite near one of the egg structures. The researchers documented several occasions in which mites and ants were stuck to the outside of these structures. </p> <p>Thanks for reading!</p> <p>Akuda ( Zach)</p> <p><br></p> <p><strong>Sources</strong></p> <p>https://www.wired.com/2013/12/web-tower-mystery-solved/</p> <p>http://www.neatorama.com/spotlight/2014/01/03/What-Made-The-Strange-Web-Towers-In-The-Amazon/</p> </html>