War, What is it good for?
The spider that I observe regularly these days had a conflict due to another spider invading its territory. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the 'climax' of the 'war'.
First, I must mention what a great 'territory' this spider owns:
Most orb-weaving spiders have two locations, the 'hideout' and the 'web'. This spider's hide-out is right at the perpendicular intersection of two 'grills' on my sit-out. The hide-out isn't all that secure but there is always a compromise between security and ease-of-use, isn't it? Its got great accessibility to its 'office' (the web) and the web is in the middle of the 'highway' (where lots of flying insects go from outside to my home, other plants, etc.,). Secondly, this guy has grown like BIG time since I started watching him. The other spiders are still thin, managing to survive. This guy however, is 'well off'. Also, this hide-out is permanent and safe (well within the building where rain and weather has less 'harmful' effects). He has to simply get down from his hide-out and move to the 'wire' which we use to dry clothes and on which this spider has his basic infrastructure for weaving the web. Technically the silk thread that gets thicker over time is the 'bridge' that supports the web.
When I say 'basic infrastrcture', you should note that most orb-weaving spiders 'eat back' the web after its day's (or night's) work so that it can re-use the silk. This is the most fascinating thing about spiders -- they reuse the silk, they don't have the cost of maintaining a big body part to catch prey over such a relatively large area in comparison to its own body size (unlike, say, a chameleon which will have to grow out that tongue and in order to have such a big tongue, the body size will have to be proportionately larger which in turn requires more eating).
When I came back to do my regular rounds of checking this spider, I noticed this 'foreigner' was on the 'bridge'! Let's call him the 'invader' and let's call this 'fat' spider as the 'Hero'. The invader's default territory is below the Hero's territory. Generally, the invader's web is quite 'aloof' and different in design. He climbs over the plants to build his web.
Coming back to the 'situation'... Our hero was still in the hide-out, in 'power-saving' mode. "The time is already 6:15 PM and in a few minutes the guy would be out anytime now" I thought. and just as I thought, by 6:30 our hero emerged. However, as soon as he started climbing down, he 'sensed' the invader (in the image, the little speck of 'thick' thingy on the bottom right is the 'enemy' here). 10 minutes passed and nothing happened. After 20 minutes, our hero climbed down a few inches but was still at a safe distance from the contender. To my disappointment, nothing happened for another good 2 hours. :( Both of them stayed 'still' without building their webs. My every day chores had to be done (reading email, dinner, etc.,.) and so I left.
The spider waiting. Note the 'silk' that it is holding with one of the legs. The silk emerges from a gland near its anus and I've heard some spiders can spin upto 12 different types of silk (all for the various elements of the web / helping the construction -- from making an 'always attached' safety-rope to thick, strong but not flexible and sticky 'scaffold' to the actual prey catching material (sticky, elastic), etc.,.)
The next day morning surprised me and here is what I saw (Unfortunately, couldn't take a photograph at such macro-resolutions. Had to draw this schematic and I have to tell you, I've done a bad approximation):
The invader has built the web in his territory, however, this time, using one of the 'spokes' (the radial silk threads (encircled in red in the schematic)) of our Hero as support. I'm not sure what to make out of this.
But I must say, this is a very wisely resolved conflict even by human standards!
PS: "War, What is it good for?" -- one must watch Seinfeld to get the amazing joke here (See script).
First, I must mention what a great 'territory' this spider owns:
Most orb-weaving spiders have two locations, the 'hideout' and the 'web'. This spider's hide-out is right at the perpendicular intersection of two 'grills' on my sit-out. The hide-out isn't all that secure but there is always a compromise between security and ease-of-use, isn't it? Its got great accessibility to its 'office' (the web) and the web is in the middle of the 'highway' (where lots of flying insects go from outside to my home, other plants, etc.,). Secondly, this guy has grown like BIG time since I started watching him. The other spiders are still thin, managing to survive. This guy however, is 'well off'. Also, this hide-out is permanent and safe (well within the building where rain and weather has less 'harmful' effects). He has to simply get down from his hide-out and move to the 'wire' which we use to dry clothes and on which this spider has his basic infrastructure for weaving the web. Technically the silk thread that gets thicker over time is the 'bridge' that supports the web.
When I say 'basic infrastrcture', you should note that most orb-weaving spiders 'eat back' the web after its day's (or night's) work so that it can re-use the silk. This is the most fascinating thing about spiders -- they reuse the silk, they don't have the cost of maintaining a big body part to catch prey over such a relatively large area in comparison to its own body size (unlike, say, a chameleon which will have to grow out that tongue and in order to have such a big tongue, the body size will have to be proportionately larger which in turn requires more eating).
When I came back to do my regular rounds of checking this spider, I noticed this 'foreigner' was on the 'bridge'! Let's call him the 'invader' and let's call this 'fat' spider as the 'Hero'. The invader's default territory is below the Hero's territory. Generally, the invader's web is quite 'aloof' and different in design. He climbs over the plants to build his web.
Coming back to the 'situation'... Our hero was still in the hide-out, in 'power-saving' mode. "The time is already 6:15 PM and in a few minutes the guy would be out anytime now" I thought. and just as I thought, by 6:30 our hero emerged. However, as soon as he started climbing down, he 'sensed' the invader (in the image, the little speck of 'thick' thingy on the bottom right is the 'enemy' here). 10 minutes passed and nothing happened. After 20 minutes, our hero climbed down a few inches but was still at a safe distance from the contender. To my disappointment, nothing happened for another good 2 hours. :( Both of them stayed 'still' without building their webs. My every day chores had to be done (reading email, dinner, etc.,.) and so I left.
The spider waiting. Note the 'silk' that it is holding with one of the legs. The silk emerges from a gland near its anus and I've heard some spiders can spin upto 12 different types of silk (all for the various elements of the web / helping the construction -- from making an 'always attached' safety-rope to thick, strong but not flexible and sticky 'scaffold' to the actual prey catching material (sticky, elastic), etc.,.)
The next day morning surprised me and here is what I saw (Unfortunately, couldn't take a photograph at such macro-resolutions. Had to draw this schematic and I have to tell you, I've done a bad approximation):
The invader has built the web in his territory, however, this time, using one of the 'spokes' (the radial silk threads (encircled in red in the schematic)) of our Hero as support. I'm not sure what to make out of this.
But I must say, this is a very wisely resolved conflict even by human standards!
PS: "War, What is it good for?" -- one must watch Seinfeld to get the amazing joke here (See script).