The intention of this experiment is to determine if spider webs have the same geometric design.
Things Required:
Enamel spray paint (any bright colour)
Hairspray
Scissors
White construction paper
Directions:
The best time to find spider webs is in the early morning of a spring or summer day. Pick out several webs suitable for collecting and wait a few hours for the dew to dry.
Caution: be sure the spider is gone before continuing.
Spray the web with enamel spray paint. Immediately spray a piece of white construction paper with hairspray, and push the tacky paper against the wet web. Hold the paper in place while another person cuts the support strands. Allow the paper and web to dry.
Collect as many different kinds of webs as possible. This may be done over an extended period of time since the webs can be preserved. Compare the webs. Do they all have the same geometric design? If the opportunity arises, observe a spider in the process of spinning a web.
This Is What Happens:
The spiders of the same species do build the same geometrically designed web, but the design changes from one species to another.
Science Behind It:
The building of the web is not a learned ability. It is an inborn trait which means the baby spider has within its brain the plan of its future webs.
