Insect societies have always fascinated us by the perfection of their organisation. But without their ability to secrete a substance (wax, glue, …) insects would never have been induced to become organized. The first groupings were enabled by constructive secretions such as silk, a magical fibre that builds, unites, and speaks.
Among all the different animal secretions, silk is a formidable medium of information which encourages social interactions. For some species, this extraordinary substance serves as means of both communication, transportation, as well as protection, nourishment, and reproduction. With silk as the foundation, the social life of insects and spiders is organized around these web-networks.
Everywhere in nature, spun threads cross, interweave, and separate, creating many intersections where spinner insects and spiders can meet and feel each other’s vibrations.
It’s the beginning of a form of communication that can be transformed into a confrontation, a sexual encounter, or another form of interaction.
The techniques of macro-cinematography, endoscopy, and electronic microscopy will allow us to forget our giant size and enter into the intimate universe of social insects and spiders to discover the secrets of the silk spinners.
Author : Nicolas Gabriel, Bertrand Loyer
Director : Bertrand Loyer
Year : 2006
Producer(s) : Saint Thomas Productions, France 5, France 3, Canal+, National Geographic Channels –
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