Under the Orb

Explanation: This week we are ... under the orb!

Under the orb weaver spider, that is.

We are in southern India, in Periyar National Park, in the state of Kerala. Aside from sambar deer, leopards, Indian bisons, and Bengal tigers, this park harbors ... orb weaver spiders, wonderful arachnids.

From underneath, we are peering through its fine-silk web, and can see the various body structures ...
... including the red spinneret that produces the silk, and the pedipalps extending from the head at the bottom.

Why is their web structured as it is? More specifically, why the zigzag patterns?

The spider weaves its web to catch other invertebrate prey, which are too frail to do much damage to the web structure. However, should some larger animals, such as birds or mammals, unexpectedly move into the web, the web would be destroyed.

So the zigzags are a visual cue for animals to avoid the web.

I myself have blundered into enough spider webs to appreciate this smart bit of evolution, although at times I find myself not as smart as this view under the orb.

EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week