Adhesion in moist situations presents vital challenges as a result of disruptive results of water on interfacial bonding, spreading and curing. Many organisms have developed adhesives that adhere strongly in damp or submerged environments. Nevertheless, the pyriform silk attachment discs of the terrestrial western black widow spider lose ∼8 occasions their adhesive energy when moist. Right here, we examined the speculation that riparian species of spiders have developed attachment discs which might be immune to the antagonistic results of water on adhesion. We in contrast adhesion of attachment discs from three terrestrial spiders from comparatively dry habitats with these of three riparian spider species when discs have been loaded below each dry and moist situations. Failure modes shifted from dragline breakage in dry situations to adhesive failure in moist situations throughout all species, highlighting the impression of water on interfacial bonding. Nevertheless, riparian species’ attachment discs maintained adhesive power when moist whereas terrestrial species skilled ∼50% discount in peak power and work of adhesion in moist situations. These findings counsel that riparian spider silks have developed specializations that keep adhesive efficiency of pyriform attachment discs in moist environments, providing insights into bioinspired design for water resistant adhesives.
Bernd F. SteklisTodd A. Blackledge; Riparian spiders make pyriform silk attachment discs that stick higher when moist than these of terrestrial spiders. J Exp Biol 15 November 2025; 228 (22): jeb250902. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.250902
