Social Ecology: The Beetlefolk Proletariat of the Flowering Expanse

Far to the Northwest of Vymrrys, as the rolling dunes of the Stone-Crushed Sea level off into an arid and rocky wasteland, a lost traveller might happen upon the Flowering Expanse, and potentially the always aloof brood-clans of the Beetlefolk Proletariat. 

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Social Structure

The eusocial Beetlefolk Proletariat makes its home among the flowering giga-cacti that grow out of the cracked and desiccated scrublands, with each individual brood-clan occupying a single cactus. As a cactus grows, so too does the clan - slowly - able to hatch more larvae within the root system under the arid soil. As the larvae grow into adult Beetlefolk, they are given roles within the brood, and though some might seem more important than others to a traveller, all roles within the Proletariat are treated with equal dignity and respect. These roles fall into one of two castes within the brood: the reproductive caste, and the sterile caste. Among the sterile Beetlefolk, roles include defense, foraging, larval care, mercantile, and architecture/construction. The reproductive caste are mainly preoccupied with making sure the intra- and inter-clan economy is running smoothly, that all roles are filled, and that each mature member has a role. 

Each clan (and thus the Proletariat as a whole) maintains a standard ratio of 1:3 reproductive to sterile Beetlefolk, with the reproductive members of the brood living near the heart of the cactus. Political representation is afforded at this ratio as well. Every few years, a meeting of all clan representatives occurs and discusses when the next clan should be formed, and which clans will need to donate reproductive members. All decisions are made based on the best interests of the Proletariat in terms of long-term survivability. 

View from the base of a mature Gigacactus.
A clan of about 600 could live here with room to expand.

Defense

The Proletariat is aloof and fiercely defensive of their borders, and the clans which occupy gigacacti closest to the edge of the Proletariat's territory usually produce the strongest and most capable Defenders. Attempts by other civilizations to obtain nectar from the cactus flowers have made the Proletariat intensely wary of all outsiders, regardless of their intentions. In a typical clan 1/3 of all sterile caste members will be assigned to roles in defense, though in the border clans, this fraction can rise as high as 2/3. Within clan defense units, specialization occurs, as some Beetlefolk will be assigned positions in flower defense, larval and root defense, scouting parties, or warbands (in times of conflict). The clans never fight amongst themselves, though there are occasionally disagreements which need political intervention, and all fighting units are preoccupied with outside threats. 

Traditional Enemies

Longtime enemies of the Proletariat include raiding parties of Arakokra from the mountain range to the North - The Weeping Children - as well as Bullywugs from the Vexatious Chlorine Marshes to the East.