B. kiplingi inhabit Mimosaceae trees where they consume specialized protein and fat rich nubs called Beltian bodies. Several hundred of these spiders can live in a single tree at a time. During dry seasons when food is scarcer, these spiders can change up their diet a bit.
Although the Beltian bodies account for over 90% of B. kiplingi diet, the spiders also consume nectar and occasionally steal ant larvae from passing worker ants for food. They have also been known to cannibalize other members of their species at times.
B. kiplingi’s tissues have been found to exhibit isotopic signatures typical of herbivorous animals, implying that most of their food comes from plants. So far, no one knows exactly how they process and digest their food. Most spiders liquefy their prey, but with this herbivorous diet, more research is needed.
