Whether woven to ensnare unsuspecting victims or to cocoon precious eggs, spider silk is a wonder of Nature, each translucent thread so fragile, yet stronger than steel, says Simon Lester.
Having wandered around the countryside as a gamekeeper for most of my life, observing Nature has always enthralled me. I have been fortunate to witness many spectacular wildlife encounters — not least a peregrine falcon striking a red grouse in an explosion of feathers — but,…