NEW YORK: Spiders are able to travel across water like ships, using their legs as sails and silk as an anchor.
The arachnids were already known to take to the air on “ballooning” flights, using their silk to catch the wind and carry them up to 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) a day, scientists have discovered.
Now spiders have been shown to be sailors as well as aviators. Tests carried out on trays of water showed that many species adopted elaborate postures, such as lifting a pair of legs, to take advantage of wind currents.
In this way they “sailed” in turbulent, still, fresh and salt water conditions.
Sailing spiders were also observed using their silk as “anchors” to slow themselves down or stop moving across water.
Lead researcher Dr Morito Hayashi, from the Natural History Museum in London, said: “Even Darwin took note of flying spiders that kept dropping on the Beagle miles away from the sea shore.
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