科學圖說

深陷其中(Last Ditch Effort)

許多蜘蛛靠著結網捕食，路過的小昆蟲只要誤入網中，往往只能垂死掙扎，最終成為蜘蛛的佳餚。照片中的螞蟻才剛陷入網中，或許無法接受這樣的命運，試著擺動六足希望能掙脫，但卻纏繞更多的蜘蛛絲，同時產生強烈的絲震動訊號，使藏身於後方白色絲製螺旋狀隱帶中央的蜘蛛，注意到牠的存在，加速自己的滅亡。

Many spiders depend on webs to catch food. If a passing insect gets caught in a web, all it can do is struggle until it becomes the spider’s meal. In this image, an ant has just fallen onto a web. Unable to accept its fate, it attempts to wiggle its legs in the hope of freeing itself. However, this only serves to entangle it further. At the same time, the vibrations along the silk threads that make up the web signal the spider, which is lying in wait in the center of the white thread spiral. By catching the spider’s attention, this ant has quickened its end.