Produced for National Geographic Partners LLC
Spiders Spin Balloons to Fly Away -- National Geographic, Digital
This crab spider is surveying the wind condition with its leg hairs … to take flight. A team of researchers studied how these spiders release silk "balloons" and sail away. Conditions for liftoff need to be right. A warm and gentle breeze will do it. The balloon is made up of 60 silk threads in a triangular form, similar to a wind-sail. It’s got to be nice to go wherever the wind blows.