Comment on Are straws an unnecessary (but convenient) invention?

• DogMuffins@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  Hmm, insects don’t really down the same way mammals do. A layer of air gets trapped against their thorax, some spiders use this to hunt under water IIRC.

  Other commenters have replied with accounts of this happening.

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  • theKalash@feddit.ch ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    They are arachnids, not insects, but fair point.

    Diving-bell spiders are very specialised and rare spiders, the vast majority doesn’t have that ability.

    I mean you shouldn’t swallow them, but I don’t think straws are needed to prevent that.

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    • DogMuffins@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

      The majority of arachnids don’t hunt under water, but they also don’t drown easily. I’ve seen huntsman spiders float on water like it’s no big deal.

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      • theKalash@feddit.ch ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

        Oh yes, a few of them can walk on water, fishing spiders even catch small fish through the surface. But that requires careful manipulation of surface tension. But it seems rather unlikey a spider would fall or slip into a drink and land perfecly on the surface. Once they break through the surface tension it works against them and even fishing spiders can struggle to get out again. Most spiders will drown within a few minutes once submerged when there is nothing to climb out on. The straw might actually safe them in that case!

        I’d still say it’s a rather minor risk and just checking your drink before taking a sip is probably simple then using a straw. I ususally just put a coaster on my glass when outside during the summer.

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