Araneus diadematus underside
Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 3, “The Status Quo“: ..The example of the spider is very significant also. The spider is an individual living entity, and by its energy it creates a cobweb and plays on it, and whenever it likes it winds up the cobweb, thus ending the play. When the cobweb is manufactured by the saliva of the spider, the spider does not become impersonal. Similarly, the creation and manifestation of the material or spiritual energy does not render the creator impersonal… full purport
Spider Silk
Wikipedia: Various compounds other than protein are used to enhance the fiber’s properties. Pyrrolidine has hygroscopic properties and helps to keep the thread moist. It occurs in especially high concentration in glue threads. Potassium hydrogen phosphate releases protons in aqueous solution, resulting in a pH of about 4, making the silk acidic and thus protecting it from fungi and bacteria that would otherwise digest the protein. Potassium nitrate is believed to prevent the protein from denaturating in the acidic milieu.
Types of silk
Many species of spider have different glands to produce silk for different jobs, such as housing and web construction, defense, capturing and detaining prey, or mobility. Thus, different specialized silks have evolved with material properties optimized for their intended use. For example, Argiope argentata has five different types of silk, each for a different purpose:
| Silk | Use |
|---|---|
| dragline silk | Used for the web’s outer rim and spokes, as well as for the lifeline. As strong as steel, but much tougher. |
| capture-spiral silk | Used for the capturing lines of the web. Sticky, extremely stretchy and tough. |
| tubiliform silk | Used for protective egg sacs. Stiffest silk. |
| aciniform silk | Used to wrap and secure freshly captured prey. Two to three times as tough as the other silks, including dragline. |
| minor-ampullate silk | Used for temporary scaffolding during web construction |
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