Dew drop Photos
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Web of Dew
There are a lot of spiders around here but they sure make some beautiful creations. I always wondered how the drops stayed on the web. I always thought they should just run down to the lowest point and drip off. Took a little research but the answer is really interesting.
Monday, February 7, 2005
Dew Drop Web
One of the things I like about taking my images one at a time and
preparing them for this site, is the opportunity
it gives me to think a little more about each subject. When I saw this web
I took an entire roll of film because of the beauty of the dew, like pearls
on a string. Now, while preparing it for the site, I started to think
about why the drops of dew stayed there. The water should run down to the
lowest point, collect and drip to the ground but the web is covered with it.
I realized that not all of the web was sticky, the spider walks on the radial
threads, which are not sticky. The concentric threads are where the sticky part is.
(Apparently it is even more complex than that, There are seven
different kinds of silk that spiders can spin but that is a little off topic.)
The interesting thing about the sticky thread is the fact that the sticky
comes from small drops of liquid on the silk. These small drops make an
imperfection on the slick silk that the drop of water can hang on.
Which also explains my next thought about the water, why is it so
regularly spaced? Because the spider places the sticky drops evenly.
Of course, the trouble with that explanation is the fact that there are drops on
the radial threads in this photo, albeit not as large and not as many.
Perhaps there is some stickiness to all of the strands on this particular type of
spider web? Or just other imperfections in the strand? Perhaps specks of dust?
Friday, January 21, 2005
Dewdrop Marigold
This is another picture from my back yard. When I am feeling like taking pictures but don't have enough time to go on a full expedition, I like to wander there. There is always something new if I look close enough.
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