Ok, under a log, you uncover a wispy white web.
You’re thinking: spider.
Not so fast.
This maze of woven silk has nothing to do with arachnids.
It’s actually created by a kind of insect called a webspinner.
They’re related to stick insects and praying mantises.
Never heard of 'em?
Not surprised.
They give spiders a run for their money.
Their handiwork is a tent ... umbrella ... and invisibility cloak all-in-one.
But while spiders produce silk from their backends, a webspinner’s silk comes from
her feet.
Yep, her front feet.
She intertwines the strands, waving back and forth, back and forth.
She has tiny hair-like ejectors on the bottom of each foot, which shoot out the silk.
It’s the thinnest silk of any animal.
The work is painstaking.
But the result is pretty cozy - kinda like a quilted roof.
Their home - also known as a gallery - is their only defense, hiding their soft bodies from
predators.
There’s also plenty of moss and lichen to eat inside.
So why leave?
And if they need to do some housekeeping, it’s easy to take out the trash.
They just stick it to the roof ... and forget about it.
The silk also keeps out something they really like to avoid: rain.
Webspinners can easily drown if a downpour floods their gallery.
Luckily, they’ve got exceptional weather-proofing.
Water just beads up on the silk’s surface, like on a rose petal.
And that water actually changes the silk, making the surface more slippery by transforming
the proteins.
So it becomes extra waterproof.
But having silk-slinging front feet has a downside.
Say an unwanted visitor comes along.
If they want to get away, webspinners have to tiptoe to avoid triggering their silk ejectors.
Not exactly the fastest runner.
So to get away, webspinners dart … backwards, to avoid getting tangled up.
They’re much faster in reverse.
Small price to pay for the ability to weave an entire hidden world.
One that will keep the webspinners – and their young – safe …
for generations to come.
Hi, it's Lauren.
Music fans - here's a special playlist for ya of Deep Look creatures that make music
of their own.
Also, check out Sound Field, a new show from PBS Digital Studios that breaks down our favorite
songs and artists from all genres … from Bach to Beyonce.
It's hosted by two amazing musicians, Nahre Soul and LA Buckner, who even come up with
an original song in every episode.
Link is in the description.
Thanks.