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Hi Eleanor, Aug 24, 2007
I have not noticed any response to this question so will take a stab
at it, based on first principles.
The Spider would be taking advantage of surface tension so would
presumably have hairs or pads of hairs on the 'feet' that are not
readily wet by water. At each of the 8 points of contact, the water
surface would be dimpled. The dimples under Water Striders can be seen
as optical effects in shallow water (I think); 4 (6?) dark blotches with
light haloes as an enlarged shadow of the surface dimples ?
A typical used sewing needle has sufficient hand oils on the surface
to float briefly on calm water and the needle can be seen to be floating
in a depression.
Yt, DW, Kentville
Eleanor Lindsay wrote:
> While swimming in our cove yesterday I came eye to eye in mid-cove
> with a spider (body approx 0.4cm diameter) walking purposively up and
> down the small wavelets towards the shore - a considerable distance.
> How on earth does it do that with thread-thin, stick-like legs?
>
> Eleanor Lindsay,
> Seabright, St Margarets Bay
>
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