The Twirlings

Written by Happy; Proofread by ChaosTearKitsune - Thanks a lot!

It's always funny to see strangers coming around here. They don't know about the Twirlings, so they just go right into the forest and then you hear screams. I'm always amazed by how fast they can run!

Twirlings are a species of wasps that live mostly in the south of Menicea, that are larger than most of their cousins. Their name comes from the fact that they are so big that they can't fly fast. This is due to the size of their stinger and that they use the wind to travel long distances.

Everyday Behavior

Twirlings live in nomadic swarms. They have a very particular way to collect pollen and make food out of it: Each individual Twirling is given an area in which it will harvest for the whole day. Their large size and slow speeds have improved their stamina so they can work for the entire day, unlike regular bees.
When dusk comes, the colony of Twirlings will gather on a large tree trunk. They make their food, eat, and wait for even the smallest breeze to fly off their roost and drift to another area. They will repeat this process all day before the queen is ready to lay down eggs.

Defense

Due to their slow speed, Twirlings rely on their numbers when dealing with aggressors. Whenever a member of the swarm is attacked, it makes a very loud ultrasonic call that rallies all the nearby wasps. They surround the intruder and will try to sting it as much as possible. Twirling poison isn't a threat to Gerouns unless they get stung a lot in a short amount of time.
If their target is too fast, some individuals will sacrifice themselves and fly as quickly as possible to sting and slow down the creature. Even if they will most likely die in the process, it allows the other members of the swarm to catch up and secure the kill.

Reproduction

Twirling queens do not lay eggs every day. They have a gestation period of two weeks, and during that time will eat a lot to produce strong larvas. When the queen is ready, the colony finds a safe tree trunk and will protect the queen while she spends the day laying her eggs. After she's done, the rest of the swarm provides the larvas with food, before leaving with the queen.
A few days later, the larvas will become a new swarm that will live for approximately a month.

Cultural impact

Twirlings are peaceful yet dangerous insects. People are warned to pay attention and not bother any Twirling swarms while traveling through forests.
Villagers in forests associate these insects with good luck. They say that having a swarm land on your house is a sign that it is clean and safe. This is why people often compliment clean homes with, "You must have Twirlings landing on your roof."

Classification
Hymenoptera
Insecta
Animalia
Pterygota
Twenygota

Main habitat

Southern Forest