About
In the highlands of Nepal, the world's most valuable mushroom can be harvested for only a few months of every year...
The caterpillar fungus, colloquially yartsa gunbu (literally "summer grass, winter worm"), has been a tremendous boon to the local economy. However, a lack of regulations leaves the fragile ecosystem of the mountain prairies under threat. Conservationists have struggled to consistently raise the cordyceps fungus in a lab setting... understanding the host caterpillars seems like a good place to start. It is for this purpose that our protagonist, entomologist Thulia, has come to stay.
Kimbu Gompa, historic Tibetan Buddhist monastery once known for its silk production, now houses only a small number, plus some seasonal visitors. Venerable Lhamo Yeshe leads the congregation through their religious practice, while her daughter Nyima Pema struggles to come of age in a rapidly changing world. Sericulturist Songtsen Utpala acts as our guide, regardless of their own feelings on the matter.
Summer Grass, Winter Worm is a work of fiction. The locations and characters depicted are not directly based on real individuals, although I strive for accuracy in cultural and scientific matters.
This comic is currently rated PG-13 for: bug death; discussions of sex and sexuality. It is possible that the comic will require additional warnings in the future. This page will be updated if and when necessary to reflect these changes.
Summer Grass, Winter Worm is a work in progress. This may include updates to older pages, or even adding new pages that are chronologically in the past.
--About the author
Hi! I'm Edie. I'm a nonbinary white American educator (born 1995) with a comics degree. I don't have any formal training in entomology or Buddhism.
It's pretty much inevitable that I will make mistakes. I'm hoping these are mostly minor and not anything harmful. If you notice any errors or if you have serious criticisms, contact me and I will do my best to make it right! I am hoping to hire at least one sensitivity reader in the future, so if you have detailed feedback and personal experience with the culture or daily life of Tibet and Nepal, please get in touch :)