Did you know that spiders are born with the natural skills to make webs and different species make different designs. So for the benefit of we humans, Spid has written some free and easy-to-use guidelines to make a spider’s web for your Halloween party. This is a fun and creative activity to do with your children in the run up to Halloween.
You will need a some baking or parchment paper, a pencil and a pair of scissors.
Tear off a square piece of parchment paper. Bring one corner to the other corner to make sure you have a (reasonably) perfect square. Then trim the paper if you need to.
Bring one corner of the square to the opposite corner and fold in half to make a triangle, as shown in the photograph.
Bring the right corner to the left triangle to make an even smaller triangle, as shown.
Bring the right edge of the triangle over the left edge of the triangle, making sure that the edges line up. Fold it as shown in the photo.
Trim off the extra paper at the end. Then cut the end with a gentle inwards curve.
Draw out the lines of the spiderweb on the parchment paper to give yourself a guide (or just eyeball it). It doesn’t matter where the folds are when you draw the lines – either side will work. Follow the lines in the photo. You can space out the lines on the spiderweb evenly, but try to keep the lines that butt near the folded edge as close to the edge as you can. This is because when you open it along the fold the space will end up being double what you’ve drawn.
Carefully cut out the alternate shapes along your folded paper. Though just go slowly and be careful not to cut all the way through!
Unfold the spiderweb carefully. It can be tricky to get the web to lay flat, so you can iron them on medium heat to help flatten them out.
The main reason why spiders are associated with Halloween is due to their connection with witches. In medieval times, spiders, along with black cats and rats, were believed to be witches’ evil companions. In addition, as Spid finds out in Spid the Spider Gets Spooked at Halloween, Halloween is associated with many other scary things, including creepy caves, bats, and jack 0’lanterns. Also haunted houses and graveyards; all come with an array of spiders and spider webs! This is partly because spiders tend to live in dark places. In many countries, spiders are also regarded as mystical creatures due to their web-making abilities! In folklore, they are described as storytellers and oracles of fate, wealth, and sometimes death.
Spiders have silk-spinning organs called spinnerets on their abdomen, usually on the underside. Different species have different numbers of spinnerets, but most have a cluster.
At the end of each spinneret is a collection of spigots, nozzle-like structures. A single silk thread comes out of each.
The silk is pulled out by gravity or the spider’s hind leg. It is liquid when it’s inside the spider.
Depending on the species, spiders then follow various patterns of to make their webs. Interestingly, experiments have been conducted to show that their spinning skills go somewhat awry if and when they are under the influence of alcohol!
Spiders make webs for many reasons; to catch prey (food), move speedily about, impress the opposite sex, and to protect their young. Though not all spiders build webs. Those that don’t may flatter females with gifts, or show off by dancing.
Download our free and easy-to-follow guidelines to make a Halloween spider's web