Did Mosquitoes develop non-stick properties on their body parts and dissipate electric attraction from flapping wings, more efficiently via evolution?
Question #2)
My Original Question To Quora Was :
"Did Mosquitoes Develop The Art Of Not Being Sticky To Spider Webs?"
"I have noticed that mosquitoes can bump into spiderwebs and get away & can also alight on a spiderweb!"
Quora Suggested an edit to the question, as follows :"Do mosquitoes get trapped in spider webs?"
"I have never seen mosquitoes getting trapped in spider webs. Are they somehow resistant?" ###############################@
Do mosquitoes get trapped in spider webs?
I have never seen mosquitoes getting trapped in spider webs. Are they somehow resistant ?
Both Questions were answered with three replies as follows :
3 ANSWERS
Yes, mosquitoes do, indeed, become trapped on the silk of spider webs. How often do mosquitoes suffer this fate? We don't know the answer, but we do know some of the factors that relate to the frequency of this kind of event.
The webs of spiders are incredibly diverse in structure, and the form of the web depends upon the kind and size (age) of the spider. Many spiders weave webs with spaces between the strands that are just right to catch a large juicy insect, but allow smaller 'snack-sized' meals to fly right through. It takes energy and time for the spider to weave the web, and the more threads per unit area, the greater the expenditure. Would it be worth creating a densely-woven web just to catch small prey? If relying upon small insects in the diet were a good economical practice, then it is likely that the spiders would subscribe to that strategy.
Many mosquitoes are endowed with scales on the body and wings. Much like those on moths and butterflies, these scales are easily lost through abrasion.... and from contact with sticky substances, such as spider silk, tree sap and nectar. Many a mosquito that makes contact with a web will continue on its way, minus a little weight and ornamentation.
Note that not all spiders rely upon webs for ensnaring their prey. Certain kinds are active predators and will hunt and pounce upon their quarry. Jumping spiders are most adept with this strategy, and they are known to 'take down' mosquitoes with some regularity.
Oddly, many folks fear spiders and spider webs far more than they fear mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit. Perhaps, it would behoove us to foster spiders in and around our homes. The nets they weave might provide as much or even more protection than do many of the commercially produced bed nets (at least the way those are improperly used in many homes).
The webs of spiders are incredibly diverse in structure, and the form of the web depends upon the kind and size (age) of the spider. Many spiders weave webs with spaces between the strands that are just right to catch a large juicy insect, but allow smaller 'snack-sized' meals to fly right through. It takes energy and time for the spider to weave the web, and the more threads per unit area, the greater the expenditure. Would it be worth creating a densely-woven web just to catch small prey? If relying upon small insects in the diet were a good economical practice, then it is likely that the spiders would subscribe to that strategy.
Many mosquitoes are endowed with scales on the body and wings. Much like those on moths and butterflies, these scales are easily lost through abrasion.... and from contact with sticky substances, such as spider silk, tree sap and nectar. Many a mosquito that makes contact with a web will continue on its way, minus a little weight and ornamentation.
Note that not all spiders rely upon webs for ensnaring their prey. Certain kinds are active predators and will hunt and pounce upon their quarry. Jumping spiders are most adept with this strategy, and they are known to 'take down' mosquitoes with some regularity.
Oddly, many folks fear spiders and spider webs far more than they fear mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit. Perhaps, it would behoove us to foster spiders in and around our homes. The nets they weave might provide as much or even more protection than do many of the commercially produced bed nets (at least the way those are improperly used in many homes).
tl;dr Yes, mosquitoes do get trapped in spider webs.
You may have seen this image circulating on the internet.
The above image is of trees shrouded in spider webs lining the edges of a submerged farm field in the Pakistani village of Sindh, where the massive floods in the year 2010 drove millions of spiders and possibly other insects into the trees.
An unexpected side-effect of the flooding in parts of Pakistan in 2010 had set into motion a surprisingly complex chain of events. Millions of spiders were driven up into the trees to escape the rising flood waters. Because of the scale of the flooding and the fact that the water has taken so long to recede, spiders had built massive webs on trees turning them into ghostly cocoons. Such a phenomenon had never been seen before.
As waters began to rise, thousands of spiders sought refuge in tall trees, cluttering the leaves and branches with their webs in a manner reminiscent of cotton-candy. That, of course, is just the beginning of the story. This surreal phenomenon may have ultimately saved countless human lives.
These spider-web laden trees seems to have been quite effective at catching insects. People living in nearby villages subsequently experienced a significant drop in the number of mosquitoes, likely reducing the risk of insect-borne diseases, like malaria, and possibly saving the lives of local residents. People in Sindh have reported fewer mosquitoes than they would have expected given the amount of stagnant water in the area. It is thought the mosquitoes are getting caught in the spiders' webs, reducing their numbers and the associated risk of malaria.
More Images: Pictures: Trees Cocooned in Webs After Flood
You may have seen this image circulating on the internet.
An unexpected side-effect of the flooding in parts of Pakistan in 2010 had set into motion a surprisingly complex chain of events. Millions of spiders were driven up into the trees to escape the rising flood waters. Because of the scale of the flooding and the fact that the water has taken so long to recede, spiders had built massive webs on trees turning them into ghostly cocoons. Such a phenomenon had never been seen before.
As waters began to rise, thousands of spiders sought refuge in tall trees, cluttering the leaves and branches with their webs in a manner reminiscent of cotton-candy. That, of course, is just the beginning of the story. This surreal phenomenon may have ultimately saved countless human lives.
These spider-web laden trees seems to have been quite effective at catching insects. People living in nearby villages subsequently experienced a significant drop in the number of mosquitoes, likely reducing the risk of insect-borne diseases, like malaria, and possibly saving the lives of local residents. People in Sindh have reported fewer mosquitoes than they would have expected given the amount of stagnant water in the area. It is thought the mosquitoes are getting caught in the spiders' webs, reducing their numbers and the associated risk of malaria.
More Images: Pictures: Trees Cocooned in Webs After Flood
Of course, I have seen it many times. You just have to come to my home to see it...:-)
5.41am 3-September-2016 Saturday
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