Spiders of Mirkwood

The Spiders of Mirkwood are minor antagonists in The Desolation of Smaug. They are also the offspring of Shelob, the spider.
== Biography ==
Before TA 2941 the darkness returns to Middle-earth slowly approaching. The spiders invade Mirkwood, infesting it with dark magic. Also due to the spiders, the lakes are enchanted. They go to Rhosgobel, as well as killing all the animals there. As they invade his home, Radagast uses dark magic to revive his pet hedgehog. The spiders flee to the source, Dol Guldur, causing Radagast the Brown to investigate.
One day, a hobbit and thirteen dwarves come to Mirkwood to act as a shortcut. However, the hobbit, Bilbo senses they're being watched by teh Spiders and starts plucking at the webs, inadvertantly making their presence in Mirkwood known. Sometime later, the Spiders kidnap Bilbo and his friends. With the use of his Ring, Bilbo kills them one by one while saving his friends from the spiders. The Dwarves meanwhile find themselves captured by the Elves of Mirkwood, who rescue them from the spiders.
Tauriel later suggests they kill them at their source, Dol Guldur, but Thranduil refuses. 
== Family/Relationships ==
* Ungoliant (maternal grandmother)
* Shelob (mother)
== Appearances ==
* The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
* The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug