A spider story

I was having a discussion with someone last night about spiders. He recounted a story that I just HAD to share. I didn't know where else to put this thread so, here we go.

He was going into his garage one day, when he realized a spiderweb filled the doorway. He looked around for the spider, didn't see it. He took out his knife, cut down the web, and proceeded to enter his garage.

Next day, he goes to his garage, and finds a new web, this one higher up the doorframe. But he still couldn't quite clear the web walking through, so he cut the bottom of the web off, and went into the garage.

Final day, he walks to the garage to find that the web has been moved to the top corner of the doorway, well above where his head would be. The spider had moved it's web so that it would not get in the way. He left the web alone from then on.

This seems to indicate to me that spiders, and likely isects and animals as a whole are more intelligent than we like to give them credit for. The spider clearly learned and adjusted to this information.

Hope you enjoyed.

Damn!! i wish i could remeber the name of a documentary that PROVED beyond a shadow of a doubt, that YES, spiders DO indeed show forethought and adaptability in their web construction.

What they did was have three spiders in a controlled enviroment, in this case, a glass box containing some branches.

All spiders had made their webs, and over the course of a few weeks they would place their food at precised locations, (bottom left, top right etc.).

ALL three spiders responded by "reinforcing" or "relocating" the center of the web, so as to be more efficient, some COMPLETELY negating one area focusing ONLY on the "supposed" flight path for thier food.

Absolutely fasinating.

Well, I must have had some really stupid spiders living at my home. When I used to live in Ga, I would have to walk through a certain area to get to the garage. The spiders always built webs there, no matter how many times I knocked the things down.

Spiders are really smart and im sure they are one of the smartest insects (im not sure if they are classified as insects). I think they sense when you notice them, or if you are going to kill them. I had a big spider on my wall a couple of days ago, and i was layin onmy bed staring at it. The second a got up to grab a paper towel, it took off soooo fast. i think he knew i was going to kill him.

I do believe spiders have quite high intelligence or at least follow routine. I noticed a small house spider in my flat a few weeks ago. I was going to catch it and throw it out but decided to leave it. I saw it the following day at the same time and almost everyday since then I have seen it in the same place on the same wall at the same time. It is only ever in this place at a particular time at night...

I have no idea why! It has grown since then from the size of a 20p to about the size of a 50p so it must be eating soemthing! maybe it comes in to sleep at night lol..