When young spiders let out a silken thread and are carried away by the wind (called “ballooning”), they may land anywhere, including on water. Surprisingly, new research shows that many spiders are quite good sailors on water, whether it is salt or fresh water. Some even raise their legs so they act as sails, and let out a silken thread to stop or slow themselves down, as a kind of anchor. This shows how versatile spiders are at spreading and infesting new areas, and eventually reinvading areas where they have been controlled.
