Bhevealls

Bhevealls are a herbivorous insectoid species that made first contact with the human race in 2864.6.13 Interstellar. They were initially thought to be a non-sentient species, but researchers soon discovered that while the creatures are asocial and uninterested in practical uses of information, they are natural information processors, researchers, and archivists. This led them to being nicknamed "The Librarians."

After a thousand years of interaction, Bhevealls have developed a symbiotic life-cycle with humanity. Adults at the end of their lives carry fertilized eggs onto human starships which transport them around the galaxy. The eggs are deposited in rented cryogenetic pods, high-density habitats, and even small shared apartments. Adults seal themselves in with the eggs and die, their bodies usually consumed by their offspring. Juvenile Bhevealls remain in a larval stage similar to a giant caterpillar for several years, continuously consuming water and liquid nutrition.

They pay for their stays by cataloging information.

Connected to the noosphere, a Bheveall instinctively parses through information, building reference lists and repairing damaged archives, annotating poorly cited articles, and performing research as contract work. They are not creative, but can support creative work with direction. Five networked Bhevealls can produce the output of three times the number of qualified humans.

Then, one day, they metamorphose into their adult form and travel back to their homeworld with the credits they’d earned, find a mate, and start the cycle again.

The most interesting thing about them is, aside from the adoption of digital currency and using human starships to travel around, they live non-technological lives. The aren't even tool users. They don’t use the information they spend a lifetime gathering. They just like having it.