[Explored] Bottoms up

Earlier in the year, I observed what I believe to be ballooning (also known as kiting) in a very tiny juvenile spider, no more than a couple of mm in size.

 

This action is a means by which spiders (mostly spiderlings) can move through the air by releasing one or more silk threads to catch the wind. They are wafted aloft and are at the mercy of the air currents.

 

The spider climbs to a high point, stands on its toes and points its abdomen to the sky, releasing fine silk threads from its spinneret until lift off occurs. Journeys achieved vary from a few metres to hundreds of kilometres. I even read that atmospheric samples collected from balloons at 5km above the earth have reported spider landings.

 

5mm body length

 

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