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Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Quantifying Corticolous Arthropods Using Sticky Traps
Published on: January 19, 2020
Ballooning dispersal in arthropod taxa: conditions at take-off
Andy M Reynolds1, David A Bohan, James R Bell
1Rothamsted Research Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK. andy.reynolds@bbsrc.ac.uk
Abstract:
We have solved a long-standing and seemingly paradoxical set of questions that relate to the conditions which govern spider ballooning. We show that observations of spider ballooning excursions are best explained by meteorological conditions which maximize dispersal. Dispersal is predicted to be most effective in terms of distance when the stability of the atmosphere is non-ideally convective and is less effective during purely convective or neutrally stable conditions. Ballooners are most likely to travel a few hundred metres, but dispersal distances of several hundred kilometres are possible.
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