This is something really stupid, but I had to ask.
So, outside one of our bedroom windows, some funnel web spiders have taken residence. Every now and then, I like to watch what they're up too. Often, nothing much but recently, I got to see something I've never seen up close before. Some flying beastie (that looked all the world like a very small wasp(?) got himself caught in the web.
Now, he was doing all his best to get the hell out because the resident spider was nearby. The spider ran out and actually circled his prey numerous times. Then it'd run back and then run out again, do a few victory laps and then return to his corner. There was a really dramatic scene whereby the spider stood over the wasp and had one leg poised very high above like he was about to bitch slap his would-be meal from a great height.
Later on, when I revisited the scene, the wasp was dead and all of it's waspy goodness had been sucked out.
This got me thinking. Spiders have been making sticky webs for a gazillion years. Other creatures have been sticking to said webs for gazillions of years. Has our trusty friend, evolved insects that either are:
a) impervious to spider stickiness, in which case they can walk off? After all, spiders can, so it makes sense that some other creature could.
b) developed some other anti-spider web measure(s)?
I would have thought "not getting stuck in a web and dying" would qualify as suitable 'environmental pressure' to cheat the spiders out of a meal.
Many thanks,
Mang'
