Dementor Wasp

This invasive parasite has been known to lay waste to entire villages in both the Wastes and the Blighted lands, usually seeking out less populated communities that are isolated to harvest bodies for their young. The insect, having grown exponentially over numerous generations touched by the mutations caused by the Void, is now large enough to carry an average humanoid off with little effort. They are masters of camouflage and have grown significantly more intelligent than their mundane progenitors. While their hives remain fairly small in order to facilitate survival for the colony, their impact on the surrounding fauna and humanoid populations is significant.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The carapace of this creature is black with mottled, dull red splotches. The carapace itself is a matte tone that causes no reflection of light, lending to its natural ability to hide itself in dark places. Numerous mutations have caused it to not only gain tremendous size, but also to morph the mandibles into something truly horrible, and gaping mouth full of needle like teeth that lie just behind the mandibles. It retains its ochre stained wings which are clear to nearly transparent, and its thorax and abdomen are elongated and segmented, allowing greater freedom of movement. All of this is held aloft by hollow, spindly legs that can number anywhere from the standard six to twelve, depending on the mutation and age of the creature.

Genetics and Reproduction

The process by which the female of this organism reproduces is a complex one, and the reason why they are so devastating when a hive moves close to a populated area. The mating process itself is a simple one, taking very little time but leaving the female able to lay half a dozen eggs in several victims.
Using their stinger, the wasp will paralyze a victim, striking them on the body and delivering a powerful venom that will quickly render the target unable to move. Once the victim is inert and helpless, the wasp will deliver a second sting to the brain of the victim, delivering a second dose of the venom to a precise location of the brain. The venom delivered in this way will overtake and block the victim's fight or flight responses, making them docile and easily directed by the wasp. The wasp will move the victim at this point back to the hive, where it will carefully secure the victim's extremities in a mixture of mud and saliva, the same process by which it creates the walls of the hive itself. The wasp's saliva has a degenerative effect on the surface tissues of the creature, often leaving those extremities blackened and withered if the victim is left long enough and somehow manages to survive and escape.

Growth Rate & Stages

The female wasp will lay one or two eggs in the legs of the victim, and the leave them there in the hive. With their fight or flight responses nullified, and the victim in a docile state, escape at this point is a rare thing as they remain trapped and restrained within the hive itself. The eggs will hatch in a matter of approximately three days, the adult wasps keeping the victim alive by feeding them a jelly-like substance made in the hive that is rich in proteins and carbohydrates. This substance is a foul mixture of animal remains that have been processed through the bodies of the wasps, and while it smells terrible and seems foul, it is enough to keep the debilitated victims alive. Over the course of the gestation of the larvae, and especially as they feed on the still living body of their host, the adult wasps will occasionally administer the paralytic venom again in order to keep their victim still and unaware of the pain of slowly being devoured. Over the course of the next week, the larvae will eat their way from the legs into the abdomen where they will enter into a endoparasitoid state, living of the host as they slowly consume the internal organs. The host is released at this point with the purpose of returning to a populated area. As the venom wears off, the host will succumb to extreme levels of discomfort, nausea, and fatigue, not being able to sleep or hold foods down for very long. This situation will grow progressively worse over the course of the next week until finally the victim dies of the consumption within. The larvae will then enter the pupal stage of development and cocoon itself with in the body for a period of 3-5 days depending upon the climate (Warmer climates can accelerate this process). A fully developed young wasp will emerge from the cocoon at this point and burrow its way free from the body and dig out of any grave or tomb the body may have been lain in as well emerging and growing to adulthood and full size in a matter of a few days.

Ecology and Habitats

The Dementor Wasps prefer warm climates, thriving in them and accelerating the growth of young. They are also drawn to populated areas, but sparse enough that they are not endangering themselves unnecessarily. The wasps will utterly destroy the available food sources of both animal and humanoid quickly, moving on to a new location and building a new hive. It is important to point out that the dementor wasps do not function like a standard hive, having no queen or drones. While they do maintain a small hive, the male drones remain within the structure, clearing away corpses and maintaining the stability of it while the females hunt and bring back prey. Only the females have a stinger, but the males still have a vicious bite.

Dietary Needs and Habits

These predatory creatures are carnivorous hunters and will devour any small creatures they can find. They are able to feed from vegetable sources as well if need be, but with the absence of such things in large enough quantities to sustain them, the majority have developed to maintain a strictly animal based diet.

Biological Cycle

During the cold seasons, the adult wasps will go into a state of hibernation, sealing off the hive and attempting to hide from the cold, which can be lethal to most of them if the temperature gets cold enough to cause a frost.

Behaviour

The dementor will hunt from the air, using its well developed sight to catch prey unaware in the darkness of night, diving down at high speeds to strike their prey with their stinger and paralyse them quickly. For those that they do not use for the gestation of young, this is a slow and very horrifying way to go, paralyzed and fully aware as they are slowly taken apart and devoured.

Additional Information

Social Structure

These creatures are solitary for the most part, but do coexist in small hives.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

• The venom of the Dementor Wasp is a powerful paralytic and can be harvested to be used in a weaponized form. 
• There are rumors of an experimental serum that can render an individual docile and susceptible to suggestion created from the wasp's venom.
• The jelly the wasps make to feed their victims, while foul smelling and tasting, is remarkably rich in proteins and carbohydrates making it an excellent food supplement.

Average Intelligence

Animal

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The insect has not only perfect Void sight, but the ability to sense temperature variations using it's short antennae and the ability to distinguish scents thanks to a highly developed olfactory system.

Scientific Name

Insect

Origin/Ancestry

Ampulex dementor

Lifespan

Six Months

Average Height

Fully grown, a dementor wasp's head call get up to four feet in height from the ground when standing.

Average Weight

350 pounds

Average Length

8 feet for males 10 feet for females

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Black and mottled red