Spider silk is stronger in areas with heavy rainfall

The fact that spider silk is stronger and more durable depends on the environmental influences to which it is exposed. Researchers from the University of Bayreuth studied 50 species of spiders and published their results in the journal Current Biology.

During evolution, spiders developed webs to capture their prey. The radius of the net is particularly important because it absorbs the energy generated by striking the prey. These so-called “master ampullae” (polymeric fiber) silks, also known as rope scraping silk, are harder than most natural and man-made fiber materials. In the latest study, researchers studied and compared 50 silk pieces from Colombia. They wanted to know how environmental influences affect the mechanical properties of silk. This was the first region-wide analysis of environmental factors along climatic and elevational gradients on spider silk. The results showed that spiders in areas with heavy rainfall had stronger silk threads than spiders living in areas with less rainfall.

This means that in areas with heavy rainfall, spiders absorb more energy. This applies not only between different spider species, but also between the same species. The mechanical properties of silk are likely enhanced in areas of high rainfall to reduce web damage and spider-related energy loss. This knowledge allows materials scientists to more effectively direct their search for new and exceptional silk.

(Source: Bayreuth I agree: https://www.uni-bayreuth.de/)