Any slight breeze – even convection currents from a patch of ground warming in the sun – can carry the thread from tree to tree.Although the thread isn’t sticky or gluey, it can still stick to the tree. The spider does this by physically pulling the spider silk through its Spider silk is very lightweight. Every web begins with a single thread, which forms the basis of the rest of the structure. A spider web, spiderweb, spider's web, or cobweb (from the archaic word coppe, meaning "spider") is a structure created by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets, generally meant to catch its prey.. Spider webs have existed for at least 100 million years, as witnessed in a rare find of Early Cretaceous amber from Sussex, southern England. How is the spider able to reach between this distance, which is often more than several feet?The answer begins with the spider’s ability to transform liquid silk inside its special glands into solid threads. Or it adheres due to static electrical forces, like balloons sticking to a TV screen.At this point, the spider can use the thread to “tightrope walk” from one tree to another. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. Spider webs are fascinating because they are beautiful and serve many purposes. Spiders make their webs by producing and arranging silk strands, produced by tiny organs on their abdomens. Usually, the spider is hanging underneath the thread on its journey from tree to tree.Many spiders build new webs each night or day, depending on when they hunt.And spiders recycle – some eat their old webs and use the digested silk to produce new ones.Bottom line: The breeze is the key to a spider’s ability to spin a web between two trees.The EarthSky team has a blast bringing you daily updates on your cosmos and world. Nearly full moon shining into a spider web via EarthSky Facebook friend Jolynn Kautzer Bales. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. Not all webs are used to catch prey and some spiders do not build webs at all. How do they do that?Maybe you’ve seen spider webs strung high in the branches between two trees. How Does a Spider Spin It's Web? Bottom line: The breeze is the key to a spider’s ability to spin a web between two trees. Yet, even with such a wide variety of spiders there are only three types of silk produced by all spiders that are used to create spider webs. Most likely it just gets tangled on small protuberances. If you look up in a tree, you might see a spider web that spans a distance of a meter – several feet – or more. We usually use the word spider-web to refer to fresh webs that are still being used by a spider and the word cobweb to refer to old and dusty webs that do not actually have a spider still living in it. Earth, Space, Human World, Tonight. To establish this bridge, the spider climbs to a suitable starting point (up a tree branch, for example) and releases a length of thread into the wind.With any luck, the free end of the thread will catch onto another branch. We love your photos and welcome your news tips. Weird & WackyWe use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. All spiders produce a sticky silk that is used to build webs.