How was widow spider silk vital to WWII?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
August 27, 2003
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Two diverse groups of animals are known for their ability to produce silk, the caterpillars of moths (the cocoon spun around the chrysalis) and spiders (various 'webs'). The best known silk, used in the weaving of fine cloth, is the product of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. And most people have had a close, and probably uncomfortable, encounter with a spider's silk. Silk is a protein, fibroin, a polymer of amino acids—glycine, alanine, and serine, but the 'formula' varies depending upon the species and even the individual's diet.
Genghis Khan knew silk's value. His warriors wore tunics made of silk. When struck with an arrow, the tunic did not tear, but was carried into the wound. It eased the removal of the point and staunched the flow of blood. ("Genghis Khan", Mike Edwards, National Geographic, December 1996)
This quality was observed again by Dr. George Emery Goodfellow in the 1880s. He noted that on at least three occasions, silk carried into gunshot wounds and although it did not stop the injury, the silk itself was not penetrated. ("Notes on the Impenetrability of Silk to Bullets", G.E. Goodfellow, Southern California Practitioner, 1887, cited by Karl S. Kruszelnicki, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 1998)
Silk is the model fiber. It is stronger than steel at a comparable thickness, remains flexible in the cold, bends and stretches without distortion, and is lightweight. There could be hundreds of uses for silk from surgical dressings to bullet-proofing to clothing to safety equipment. Best of all, silk is non-toxic and biodegradable. Current studies are focusing on silk produced by spiders and attempts to clone this marvel. ("Unraveling Silk's Secrets, One Spider Species at a Time", Kenneth Chang, New York Times, April 3, 2001)
Long before the present brouhaha over spider silk, the strands were used in precision equipment. The strength, durability, and fineness of the strands were critical during World War II and Nan Songer provided these threads to the government.
Songer lived in Yucaipa, California. She kept western black widow spiders (Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin & Ivie) in jars in her workshop. Every day she placed widows on cushions of yucca stalk, extracted silk from the spinnerets and wound it onto reels. The strands were used as cross-hairs in targeting scopes for bombers. ("The Spider Lady of Yucaipa", Donald L. Clucas, California Family House Publishers, 2002)
The International Society of Arachnology has posted an electron micrograph of the spinnerets of a spider taken by Dennis Kunkel. To view the photograph, click on the link:
http://www.arachnology.org/Arachnology/Pages/Silk.html
The micrograph is artificially colored, normal EMs are in black and white.
To learn more about the ISA or to become a member, click on the link:
http://www.arachnology.org
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killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading:
How does a flower spider change color? Renfield's Garden - November 26, 2003
Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) Plant of the Week - September 11, 2006
Why is firefly courtship dangerous? Renfield's Garden - April 16, 2003
What was spiderwort? What's in a Name? - December 6, 2002
Why are these males small and fast? What's in a Name? - August 29, 2003
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