What happens to the dry husk remaining after Argiope aurantia extracts nutrients from its captured prey?
Answer
It is cut from the web and allowed to fall to the ground
Maintaining web hygiene is essential for the continuous success of the orb weaver. After the spider has successfully injected digestive enzymes, sucked out the liquefied internal contents, and finished feeding, a dry, empty husk of the insect’s exoskeleton remains attached to the sticky spiral capture threads. To ensure the sticky threads remain effective for new prey, the spider actively removes this debris. It achieves this by cutting the husk free from the web structure, allowing it to drop harmlessly to the ground below, thereby keeping the trap clean.
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