An analysis of silk density in spider webs

This study explores the structural complexity of spider webs through information-theoretic and harmonicity-based frameworks to quantify spatial patterns in silk density across different web regions and reveal the underlying resource allocation strategies. By analyzing the entropy of silk density distributions across different species, we observed that the entropy values follow a normal distribution with a mean of 1.24 bits and a standard deviation of 0.22 bits when using 10 quantization levels. In the second part of the paper, by measuring the harmonicity of the silk density, we reveal that the silk density at a given point can be inferred from its neighbors, with an average harmonicity value of 0.0039 (fraction of total points in point cloud data). The harmonic behavior is notable for its maximum principle, suggesting that the strongest parts of the web appear at the boundaries, aligning with existing knowledge of spider web construction. These findings provide a new technique for quan..., Collected spiders were kept in small containers for 1-2 weeks without food prior to introduction to experimental space to ensure relative uniformity of physiological state. Specimens were placed inside 10.16 x 10.16 x 10.16 cm (4” x 4” x 4”) acrylic boxes with clear sides, a black base, and no lid. Vaseline was coated on the inside top 2.54 cm (1”)of each side to prevent specimens from escaping. Each spider was given 1-2 weeks in ambient conditions to complete a web. Linyphiids construct webs over the course of multiple days and weeks, and web completion was defined as the point at which no additional silk was added to the web after several consecutive days.
Completed webs were placed into an enclosed experimental scanning apparatus blocking all outside light. Scanning was conducted by a laser (Quarton Inc. VLM-520-56) and camera (Canon EOS R5C mirrorless camera using a Canon RF 100mm F 2.8 Macro lens) mounted on a track at a fixed distance (0.67 meter). A small motor (Habow Technic Pow..., , # From local interactions to global patterns: An analysis of silk density in spider webs

[Access this dataset on Dryad](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.tqjq2bw99)

This collection comprises high-resolution video scans of spider webs recorded under controlled laser illumination, paired with synchronized distance sensor measurements. Each web was grown in a fixed arena and periodically scanned by sweeping a laser sheet across its plane; the resulting video captures the laser line intersecting the silk strands. The accompanying CSV files record the raw distance readings from the sensor, which can be mapped back onto the video timestamps after appropriate post-processing. These data support quantitative studies of web geometry, silk deposition dynamics, and the temporal evolution of web-building behavior.

## Description of the data and file structure

All scans are provided in pairs of files, one video and one sensor log:

```
\_(sample-number)_(light-level)_(date-of-scan)_(time-of-scan).mp...,