First Vegetarian Spider Discovered
Adult female Bagheera kiplingi eats Beltian body. (Photo Credit: R. L. Curry)
A Central American spider, Bagheera kiplingi, is the first arachnid that primarily eats plants. This newly-discovered spider typically eats Beltian bodies which are specialized leaf-tip structures on acacia shrubs. While a number of spiders have been discovered that eat nectar or pollen occasionally, this is the only one that survives primarily on plant material. Additionally, the spider lives a cooperative life, again not typical spider behavior. Spiders are typically territorial but hundreds of B. kiplingi have been observed gathering on one plant. Also, observers viewed families sharing nests and males defending nests from ant attacks, behaviors that are unique to B. kiplingi. For more information on the spider, see ScienceDaily.
Explore posts in the same categories: Science & Math InfoTags: Bagheera kiplingi, Biology, spiders
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science 
October 13, 2009 at 9:38 AM
NUL!!!!!!
October 13, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Now this is a spider I could get along with. 🙂
http://www.theprettyproject.com
October 13, 2009 at 10:08 PM
I could say the same… now I can get a spider-pet. XD
October 13, 2009 at 10:01 AM
[…] https://fhsukams.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/first-vegetarian-spider-discovered/ […]
October 13, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Survival of the fittest does not always mean domination or killing of other creatures then?
http://doctorbeatnik.wordpress.com/
October 13, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Awesome. What does it do with all its venom?
http://futurefashionnow.wordpress.com/
October 13, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Humanity could learn a lot about getting along from these spiders.
October 13, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Peaceful, vegetarian spiders…nature creates exceptions to all the rules, it seems.
October 13, 2009 at 11:18 AM
spooky
October 13, 2009 at 12:12 PM
wow! Awesome spider..
October 13, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Woah. That is quite strange. Good job on the findings!
October 13, 2009 at 1:39 PM
[…] First Vegetarian Spider Discovered « Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science fhsukams.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/ – view page – cached A Central American spider, Bagheera kiplingi, is the first arachnid that primarily eats plants. This newly-discovered spider typically eats Beltian bodies which are specialized leaf-tip structures… (Read more)A Central American spider, Bagheera kiplingi, is the first arachnid that primarily eats plants. This newly-discovered spider typically eats Beltian bodies which are specialized leaf-tip structures on acacia shrubs. While a number of spiders have been discovered that eat nectar or pollen occasionally, this is the only one that survives primarily on plant material. Additionally, the spider lives a cooperative life, again not typical spider behavior. Spiders are typically territorial but hundreds of B. kiplingi have been observed gathering on one plant. Also, observers viewed families sharing nests and males defending nests from ant attacks, behaviors that are unique to B. kiplingi. For more information on the spider, see ScienceDaily. (Read less) — From the page […]
October 13, 2009 at 1:55 PM
cute picture! For a spider, that is. I’ve heard of other cooperative spiders that connect their webs across a wide expanse and share the booty. That’s all we need, spiders cooperating!
October 13, 2009 at 2:06 PM
that is awsome
October 13, 2009 at 2:56 PM
[…] https://fhsukams.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/first-vegetarian-spider-discovered/ Leave a Comment […]
October 13, 2009 at 3:03 PM
There are undoubtedly many more amazing species out there to be discovered. What a shame we are making a hundred extinct every day.
October 13, 2009 at 3:09 PM
i saw the same report on spiegel.de and the spider looked a bit different there.
October 13, 2009 at 6:04 PM
There are a few different pictures out there &, yes, another I saw did look a little different than this one. I liked this picture because you can see it eating the plant material.
October 13, 2009 at 3:36 PM
[…] for this spider). It also lives in harmony with other spiders of its kind. The things you find on wordpress blogs and “Science Daily.” "Bagheera Kiplingi." The world's first known […]
October 13, 2009 at 4:08 PM
I changed my concept of spiders when I learned that they may contribute to a homeopathic remedy. How weird is that? And now we have a vegan spider?
Thanks for sharing.
October 13, 2009 at 4:19 PM
[…] morning I came across this post, talking about a vegetarian spider that has been discovered. I love it when scientific experts […]
October 13, 2009 at 6:55 PM
well. I’ll be, a spider I don’t have to be terrified of. and, dare I say it, she’s actually kinda cute, for a spider. and, hey, mebbe spidey has some vegan recipes she might want to swap?
October 13, 2009 at 7:50 PM
[…] can read all about Bambina (as I like to call her) here. Isn’t she adorable? Of course, I would wet my pants if I found her crawling on my helpless […]
October 13, 2009 at 8:26 PM
[…] pm Filed under: SALDF | Tags: arachnid, Bagheera kiplingi, Central America, spider, vegetarian First Vegetarian Spider Discovered October 13, […]
October 13, 2009 at 9:16 PM
The only thing we have to fear is .. fear itself.. and spiders.
October 13, 2009 at 10:00 PM
lol I have arachniphobia (yeah, I don’t know how to spell it either) and I actually think this guys sorta cute! At least I know he wont bite my toe or somethin!
http://planetpc.wordpress.com
October 13, 2009 at 11:07 PM
how utterly and fantastically bizarre.
October 14, 2009 at 12:10 AM
wow thats was amazing and it was so rare to catch up cute photos for a spider ^_^
October 14, 2009 at 3:08 AM
I’m not vegetarian, but quite interesting.
October 14, 2009 at 4:09 AM
Hm.. interesting: a spider-vegetarian. if also those animals who eat spiters became vegetarian… lol!
October 14, 2009 at 5:27 AM
This spider can’t be the only one. I think that in South America we have a spiece too.
October 14, 2009 at 5:36 AM
how strange. now if we could only overcome the “ick” factor concerning large swarms of spiders… eating vegetables. kinda takes the edge off of things.
October 14, 2009 at 7:05 AM
seems it is a good pet!
October 14, 2009 at 7:34 AM
[…] shuffle-step on Darwinism? Or Obamania getting way out of hand? It’s official. Vegetarianism has gone too far: A Central American spider, Bagheera kiplingi, is the first arachnid that primarily eats […]
October 16, 2009 at 1:27 PM
[…] https://fhsukams.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/first-vegetarian-spider-discovered/ […]
October 29, 2009 at 6:24 AM
ahaha lol
thanks, i don’t believe this