4 REDNEK

I'm bored, please stop. I'm bored, please stop. Etc. (The kid on the IgNobel awards.)

Thanks Fredski! Mystery solved.

I was thinking along the lines of a fungus.

There are some really weird ones out there.

It still is very strange.

Why such an elaborate and labor intensive structure?

Do they corral insects within?

Maybe in UV,which is what most insects' vision is designed for,it may look like a flower petal?

I would like to see a photo of it in UV.

No: it's a structure to protect the spider's egg.

http://www.isciencetimes.com/articles/6599/20131230/silkhenge-spider-white-picket-fence-spire-egg-amazon-peru-tambopata.htm

Thanks for the link.Great info!

It seems mother has built a play pen for her child.It will keep the kid out of trouble until he is large enough and strong enough to escape the pen,while also giving him a safe playground, and capturing some food as well.

Since the spider lays only one single egg per structure,it is reasonable to expend all of the energy to protect it.

Single kids are always over endulged it seems.

Notice how the small spider has to rest several times before crossing over the fence.

This may be a test of his fitness to leave the nest,or a jungle gym to improve his cardio.

It could also help imprint the design into his memory.

The inward curved top strand could also prevent the escape of aphids,or at least delay them long enough for the spider to capture them.

But this of course, is pure speculation on my part.

So basically, this spider is teaching us how to catch a wild pig, one stake and one strand at a time.

I thought it was a miniature NSA field station.