> I'm working on fleshing out the [[Monche Nomads]] in my fantasy novel in preparation for a scene with the [[Uskune trade fair]] and decided that having them herd sheep like the [[Mongols]] didn't quite suit what I was trying to do with the scene. I wracked my brain to figure out what could take their place, culturally, economically, and ecologically. Finally, I decided on herds of giant spiders ([[yhaoginli]]). It's more plausible than I expected, to whit: ## Fun Facts - The world's most vegetarian spider (they _occasionally_ eat insects) was named for Rudyard Kipling: their scientific name is _Bagheera kiplingi._ - Acacia trees, which are part of the pea family, produce red thorns that are rich in lipids, sugars, and proteins — and so make up the diet of [[Bagheera kiplingi]] - Some plants (like the aforementioned acacia trees) have large, hollow spines called domatium where ants make their nests as part of a symbiotic relationship. - [[how spidersilk is harvested]] has antiseptic properties and is rich enough in vitamin K as to aid in blood clotting, which is why Carpathian peasants used it for wound dressings. - The earliest surviving example of silk fabric dates from about 3630 BCE in [[China]]. ## Social Spiders Although many spiders will devolve into eating each other if penned together, making cultivation difficult, some spiders aggregate into colonies that build communal webs and cooperate in hunting large prey and child-rearing. \[[Read More](https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2008/08/07/0710603105.abstract)\] ## Fried Spider Spider is a delicacy in Cambodia, either pickled in wine or fried with butter and garlic, then eaten like a crab; pull off the legs for some little meat, but there's more meat in the head and body. Skip the organ & poo filled abdominal cavity. \[[Read More](https://culinarylore.com/food-culture:do-people-eat-spiders-as-food/)\] ## Clever Part of the reason that _Bagheera kiplingi_ are so remarkable is that all other known spiders are carnivorous predators and most other nutritional mutualism exploiters, jumping spiders are typically hunters, not foragers. \[[Read More](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982209016194)\] ## Who's Bigger? The giant huntsman spider is the world's largest spider: it has a leg span of up to 1ft and lives in Asian caves. Goliath birdeaters are bulkier, though; they're native to the upland rainforests of South America. \[[Read More](http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160314-the-worlds-largest-spider-is-the-size-of-a-dinner-plate)\] <div class=infobox>If you found this interesting, you may also enjoy </div>