Mystery in the Amazon solved

Mystery in the Amazon solved: Miniature towers surrounded by 'picket fences' on trees are found to be spiders egg-nests

• Dubbed 'silkhenge' the picket fence structure was first discovered in June
• During an expedition to Peru, a photographer realised it was a spider's web
• This discovery was made when an orange spider hatched close to the web
• Researchers don't know why the spider builds this unique structure
• Experts are also working to identify which species the spider belongs to

The mystery of how the white picket fence structures, left, appeared in the Peruvian Amazon in June has been solved. They are the work of a tiny spider, right, that builds it webs on trails lined by cecropia trees in Tambopata National Reserve in Peru

MYSTERY OF THE PICKET FENCE

The first of the structures was spotted in June, by Troy Alexander, a graduate student at Georgia Tech. 

He discovered the bizarre formation on the bottom of some blue tarpaulin close to the Tambopata Research Center, in southeastern Peru. 

The discovery of the spider was made by wildlife photographer Jeff Cremer during an expedition to Peru. 

Cremer found that the spider species makes a central tower on a tree trunk and forms a circular fence around the outside.

At the base of the tower, the spider lays its eggs. 

Cremer and his team said they only realised this when one of the spiders hatched and appeared from the bottom.

Although the spider looks similar to a jumping spider, experts have ruled this out because the arrangement of the eyes were different between the families.

This latest discovery was made by wildlife photographer Jeff Cremer during an eight-day-long expedition to the reserve.

He found that the spider species makes a central tower on a tree trunk and forms a circular fence around the outside.

At the base of the tower, the spider lays its eggs. Cremer and his team said they only realised this was the case when one of the spiders hatched and appeared from the bottom.

The first of the structures was spotted in June by Troy Alexander, a graduate student at Georgia Tech.

Alexander discovered the bizarre formation on the bottom of some blue tarpaulin close to the Tambopata Research Center, in southeastern Peru.

He then found three more of the enclosures on tree trunks in the jungle, and told Wired.com that the fences measured around two centimeters across.

The first of the structures, pictured, was spotted in June by Troy Alexander, a graduate student at Georgia Tech. He discovered the bizarre formation on the bottom of blue tarpaulin close to the Tambopata Research Center, in southeastern Peru. He then found three more of the enclosures on tree trunks in the jungle

During an expedition to Peru, wildlife photographer Jeff Cremer discovered that the spider species, pictured, makes a central tower on a tree trunk and forms a circular fence around the outside. At the base of the tower, the spider lays its eggs. Experts are now working to identify which species the spider belongs to

To discover what the structures were, or which creature had made them, Alexander posted pictures on various websites asking for any detail that could explain their origin. 

Phil Torres, a biologist  from Tambopata, posted a link on Twitter to the pictures, equally baffled as to their origin.

Cremer, 35, is from Pueblo in Colorado, but has lived in Peru for nearly eight years.

He said: 'We were there on a scientific expedition to find out what was making these strange web structures.

'This was the first expedition to find out what they were. We were able to find out what was making the web structures when some of the eggs inside the towers hatched and a tiny spider came out.'

As well as trying to determine the species, researchers still want to discover why the spiders build the structures, and what they are used for.

To discover what the structures were, or which creature had made them, Alexander posted photos, pictured, on various websites asking for any detail that could explain their origin. Many scientists and experts said they had no idea how the structures had been made

'We think the walls may be used to capture tiny mites that we found,' continued Cremer. 

'Either that or it may be to provide protection from ants with a barrier to keep them away from the tower structure where the eggs are kept.

'The web structure could also be used as camouflage since it resembles fungus and lichen. What we do know now is the base of the tower contains spider eggs.

'Similar structures have been photographed only twice before and both in South America - once in Ecuador and another time in French Guiana.'

As well as trying to determine the species, researchers still don't know what the spiders build and use the unique web structures, pictured, for. Cremer believes that the walls may be used to capture tiny mites, or could be used as camouflage