From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ballooning is a term used for the mechanical
kiting[1][2][3] that
many, especially smaller species[4]
of spiders, as well as certain
mites and some caterpillars use to
disperse through the air. Many small spiders use silk to lift
themselves off a surface or use the silk as an anchor in mid
air.[5]
Biologists also apply the term "balloon silk" to the threads that
mechanically lift and drag systems.
A spider or spiderling after hatching[6] will
climb as high as it can. The spider then stands on raised legs with
its abdomen pointed upwards. This is known as "tiptoeing".[7]
After that, it starts releasing several threads from its abdomen
into the air, which automatically form a triangular shaped
parachute.[5]
The spider can then let itself be carried away by updrafts of
winds, where even the slightest of breeze will do.[5][7]
Most rides will end a few meters later, or a spider can be taken up
into a jet stream,
which depends on its mass, posture,[8] the convection air current, drag of silk and parachute to float
and travel high up into the upper
atmosphere.[9]
Many sailors have reported spiders have been caught in their
ship's sails, over 1600 km[10]
from land (Heimer 1988). They have even been detected in
atmospheric data balloons collecting air samples at slightly less
than 5 km (16000 ft) above sea level.[11]
Apparently it is the most common way for spiders to invade isolated
islands and mountaintops.[10][12]
Spiderlings are known to survive without food travelling in air currents of jet
streams for 25 days or longer.[4]
It is generally thought that most spiders heavier than 1 mg are
not likely to use ballooning (Suter 1999). Also, because many
individuals die during ballooning, it is more unlikely that adults
will do it than spiderlings. Adult females of several social Stegodyphus
species (S. dumicola and S. mimosarum), weighing
more than 100 mg and with a body size of up to 14 mm,
have however been observed ballooning using rising thermals on hot
days without wind. These spiders use tens to hundreds of silk
strands, which formed a triangular sheet with a length and width of
about 1 m (Schneider 2001).
See also
References
- ^
Spiders By Ann
R. Heinrichs. Google Books. She observes that the so called
ballooning is like a kite or balloon; she is mechanically correct
about the kite part, as no true balloon is ever formed by the
spider as told in the other references.
- ^
Flying Spiders over Texas!
Coast to Coast. Chad B., Texas State University Undergrad:
He correctly describes the mechanical kiting of spider
"ballooning".
- ^
Artificial and Natural
Flight By Hiram Stevens Maxim. Chapter on "Flying Kites",
the "Balloon Spider" is correctly seen as mechanical kiting.
- ^ a
b
Valerio, C.E. (1977). "Population structure in the
spider Achaearranea Tepidariorum (Aranae,
Theridiidae)". The Journal of Arachnology
3: 185–190. http://fms.holycross.edu/JoA_free/JoA_v3_n3/JoA_v3_p185.pdf. Retrieved
2009-07-18.
- ^ a
b
c
Schneider, J.M.; Roos, J., Lubin, Y.
and Henschel, J.R. (October 2001). "Dispersal of Stegodyphus
Dumicola (Araneae, Eresidae): They do balloon after all!".
The Journal of Arachnology 29: 114–116.
doi:10.1636/0161-8202(2001)029[0114:DOSDAE]2.0.CO;2. http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v29_n1/arac_29_01_0114.pdf. Retrieved
2009-07-18.
- ^
Bond, J.E. "Systamatic and Evolution of
the Californian trapdoor spider genus Aptostichus Simon
(Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Euctenizidae)". Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University. 1999. Accessed
2009-07-18.
- ^ a
b
Weyman, G.S. (1995). "Laboratory studies of the
factors stimulating ballooning behavior by Linyphiid spiders
(Araneae, Linyphiidae)". The Journal of Arachnology
23: 75–84. http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v23_n2/JoA_v23_p75.pdf. Retrieved
2009-07-18.
- ^
Suter, R.B. (1992). "Ballooning: Data from
spiders in freefall indicate the importance of posture".
The Journal of Arachnology: 107–113. http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v20_n2/JoA_v20_p107.pdf. Retrieved
2009-07-18.
- ^
Greenstone, M.H.; Morgan, C.E. and
Hultsh, A.-L (1987). "Ballooning spiders in
Missouri, USA, and New South Wales, Australia: Family and mass
distributions". The Journal of Arachnology
15: 163–170. http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v15_n2/JoA_v15_p163.pdf. Retrieved
2009-07-18.
- ^ a
b
Hormiga, G. (2002). "Orsonwells, a new genus of
giant linyphild spiders (Araneae) from the Hawaiian Islands".
Invertebrate Systamatics 16: 369–448. doi:10.1071/IT01026.
http://www.gwu.edu/~spiders/content/publications/Hormiga%202002.pdf. Retrieved
2009-07-18.
- ^
VanDyk, J.K. (2002-2009). "Entomology 201 -
Introduction to insects". Department of Entomology, Iowa State
University. http://www.ent.iastate.edu/dept/courses/ent201/arthropoda/classarachnidasilk.html. Retrieved 18 July
2009.
- ^
Bilsing, S.W. (May 1920). "Quantitative studies in the
food of spiders". The Ohio Journal of Science
20 (7): 215–260. https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/1811/2094/1/V20N07_215.pdf. Retrieved
2009-07-18.
Further
reading
- Dean,
D.A. & Sterling, W.L. (1985): Size of ballooning spiders
at two locations in eastern Texas. J. Arachnol.
13: 111–120. PDF
- Heimer, S. (1988):
Wunderbare Welt der Spinnen. Urania-Verlag Leipzig. ISBN
3-332-00210-4.
- Suter,
R.B. (1999): An aerial lottery: The physics of ballooning in
a chaotic atmosphere. Journal of Arachnology
27: 281–293. PDF
Wikis
Search
