How to freeze a spider's web

Before you pack the kids off trick-or-treating, try this simple activity to admire and preserve the intricate homes of arachnid artisans. A great way to get kids to see spiders in a different light.

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Sarah McPherson

All illustrations by Alan Batley

Locate an intact web with space behind it. Obviously, take great care to ensure that no spiders are present. Take a can of non-toxic spray paint, and, holding it 15–20cm away, spray the web. Make sure you avoid the surrounding vegetation.

Coat a large square of card with spray adhesive (hairspray also works just as well). Position it behind the web. Push the card into the web until the anchor strands break. The web should stick to the card.

Sarah McPherson

Features editor, BBC Wildlife Magazine

Sarah is features editor for BBC Wildlife Magazine. She has been on the title for more than a decade, and in previous lives has also been the magazine’s section editor, acting deputy editor and production editor. Sarah commissions scientists, writers and photographers from across the globe, and has worked with some of the world’s most renowned wildlife experts. She also regularly writes features - on topics ranging from birding in Colombia to the plight of wildlife rangers - and other content for both the magazine and the website.

Illustrations by Alan Batley

How to freeze a spider's web

Locate an intact web with space behind it. Obviously, take great care to ensure that no spiders are present. Take a can of non-toxic spray paint, and, holding it 15–20cm away, spray the web. Make sure you avoid the surrounding vegetation.

Coat a large square of card with spray adhesive (hairspray also works just as well). Position it behind the web. Push the card into the web until the anchor strands break. The web should stick to the card.

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