It’s Arachnid World Week day #4! Here’s a behind the scenes look at Orb Weavers: Hungry Spinners with author Sandra Markle:

Dr. Jessica Garb is studying spider dragline silk. She said, “While some people say it’s stronger than steel, that’s not exactly true. It’s tougher, meaning it can absorb energy without breaking. Dragline silk’s toughness comes from being both stiff and yet elastic. It won’t break if stretched so it won’t snap if a spider falls off what’s like a cliff to us. Dragline silk is also incredibly lightweight. If we could learn to make synthetic dragline silk, it would be a fantastic material for a soldier’s body armor. It would also make great car airbags.” As you read this book, investigate the other ways orb weavers use the seven different kinds of silk they spin. Imagine ways you could put these silks to use in your daily life.

*Remember if you leave a comment on the blog or tweet “I love @lernerbooks and Arachnid World Week on http://www.lernerbooks.blogspot.com! #arachnidweek” on Twitter, you will be entered to win a library bound set of all six books!