Drider

**Driders** also known as **Arachne**, are a quasi-humanoid species of insectoids from the planet Uley.

## Overview

The third species, dubbed Arachne but also called Driders, live in the
mountains and caves of the planet. Although they look and act similarly
to Terran spiders, they do not in all ways. For example, their
reproductive habits are much different. The species are divided into two
 genders, male and female. Females are the larger of the two and rule
harems of males. Females are divided further into two categories, Alpha
and Beta females. Alpha females are the 'Head' of a family group while
betas serve as their seconds. Unlike the ants and bees where a nest is a
 family unit of mother, father, and daughters, a nest of Arachne is more
 like an extended clan, and can consist of up to a thousand individuals.

In order to reproduce, the females harvest the necessary fluids from the
 males, then fertilize their internal egg chambers. Alphas never carry
their own eggs, but rather deposit them in a beta or a male as soon as
possible. A clutch of eggs is usually about 6 individuals. Females also
sometimes take the opportunity to deposit their eggs in lone bee or
antgirls, forcing them to carry their eggs until laying time. Though
non-queen antgirls and beegirl are not fertile and have no eggs of their
 own, they do have the functions to incubate disposited eggs. Betas are
usually the ones to do this. Eggs usually take a month to incubate
before they are laid by their host. Females regenerate their eggs every
two weeks. After the young Arachne hatch, they feed from all the adults
in the family group, as both female and males possess breasts. This
happens till they are ready for solid foods.

Each family group or harem of Arachne is part of a larger clan-like
structure which is ruled by the females of each group, making them a
matriarchal society. The Arachne occasionally war with the bee and
antgirls, usually taking slaves from them to use either as workers or as
 egg hosts before letting them go after some time. They of course, like
Terran spiders, spin silk thread which can be used to trap prey with
webs, or can be used for more utility purposes.

Archne, unlike Terran spiders are not venomous. They do have sharp fangs
 in their mouths, however they have lost the ability to inject venom, as
 they have evolved away from needing to bite prey, to stabbing prey
instead with sharp metal objects.

### Jumping Spider

A smaller subspecies than the standard arachne with a normal height
about 4’3 ft, they are small and their legs are short, and their upper
bodies tend to not be very strong or developed making them look rather
cute. But despite looks they can move extremely fast, and can jump great
 distances hence their name. Unique to Arachne, the Jumping Spider girls
 prefer to hunt in small groups. This is because being small they are
naturally rather nervous, and feel more confident when they have safety
of numbers.

When they see a prey they think they can kill or capture, they will use
their blistering speed, jumping ability, and group strength to take it
by surprise and quickly overwhelm it. When they see a potential predator
 they can’t take on, their normal reaction is to run away to fight
another day. Jumping spider girls can produce thread, but not in the
quantities needed to produce elaborate web traps since they are small.
Spider thread is only used to stop their descent as they fall from high
places by spinning makeshift parachutes, or for utility purposes like
tying up a struggling victim.

### Long Legs

A large slim subspecies with thinner but longer legs than a normal
arachne, hence their name. These are large arachne which can reach 15ft
tall when fully outsretched. They are mild mannered, aloof and oddly
gregarious. They often tolerate the nearby presence of other species up
to a point. Uniquely the gender ratio of Long Legs is about 2 males for
every 1 female. Their family groups don’t have beta females, and their
male harems are much smaller usually limited to 2 – 3 males. A Long Legs
 arachne clan is made up of a collection of compact families much of the
 time resembling what a human might be more used to.

Long Legs are born hunters, they are the natural solo snipers of Uley
 with a bow and arrow or other projectile weapons. Their long legs and
slim flexible waist allow them to act like a mobile turret, shooting
from good height advantages, get into firing positions other creatures
cannot, and run down prey over long distances efficiently with their
great strides. Like the Jumping Spiders, Long Legs are not really trap
ambushers. Their prefered style of fighting values stealth and range.
Their thread is purely used for utility such as tying prey up.