Spiders use aerodispersion to travel hundreds of kilometers

Spiders utilize a biological process known as aerodispersion, or ‘ballooning’, to travel hundreds of kilometers through the air. According to Professor Joanna N. Izdebska from the University of Gdańsk, this passive locomotion is primarily used by young, small spiders to seek food, find mates, avoid population overcrowding, and escape predators or parasites.

The silk used for this migration is produced by spinnerets and hardens upon contact with the air. This natural fiber is noted for its extreme mechanical strength, being twice as strong as steel of the same cross-section and capable of stretching by 40 percent without breaking.

While this phenomenon occurs throughout the year in the Northern Hemisphere, it is most intense between May and October, peaking during the transition from summer to autumn. In Europe, this ability is observed in several families, including Araneidae, Linyphiidae, and Theridiidae. Species in temperate and cooler climates tend to exhibit a stronger inclination toward aerodispersion, resulting in a wider geographic range compared to tropical species.