Drugs alter web-building of spiders: A review and evaluation
Systems Research and Behavioral Science January 1, 1971 Peter N. Witt 52 citations
Over twenty-two years of research on spider web building shows that drugs, temperature, and light can alter or prevent web construction. Pentobarbital sodium caused spiders to stop building radii before completion. D-amphetamine produced irregular radius and spiral spacing while probing movements remained regular, with geometric disturbance severity matching drug concentration. Scopolamine caused wide deviation of spiral spacing distinct from amphetamine, while LSD-25 led to unusually regular webs. Cholinergic and anticholinergic drugs, tranquilizers, and other substances changed catching area, thread length, density, thickness, and web weight. Glandular or central nervous system drug targets are identified, and disturbed webs are seen as interference at multiple levels contributing to the integrated pattern. Web building is evaluated as a biological test for identifying pathogenic substances in body fluids.