Beer Beetle
He flicked at the froth on his drink. To my astonishment, a fuzzy beetle flew from the tankard onto the table. The hunter slammed the mug on top of it and continued his speech, though he was ever wary to check the foot under some ascribed paranoia.The Beer Beetle is a type of beast, made by a mage for a specific target during ancient times. It was likely never intended to have such an affect on the ecosystem, but it seems that the mage created too many of them and they had the chance to reproduce. Now, the Beer Beetle has become the sure sign that a traveller has made their way from the safety of civilisation into the Southern Beastwilds. It is widely regarded as dangerous, since it is likely the only beast someone will encounter in their daily lives. The beer beetle thrives on the blood and skin tissue of humans, though its prime target is the stomach lining and throat. This makes eating one by accident a prevalent fear, despite beer kegs being carefully monitored for this reason.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Though they are technically categorised as beetles, they look fuzzy when examined by the naked eye. They are soft to the touch and have an outer appearance similar to beer froth when they remain undisturbed.
On closer inspection, they have six hairy legs that they use to keep balance on whatever surface they grip onto - much like a spider. Underneath their fuzz they have a thick and firm exoskeleton that keeps the beetle safe from harm.. unless they are accidentally eaten. They have small heads but large eyes.
Biological Traits
Some beer beetles are more prone to stress than others. Those that find themselves outside of their preferred habitat or isolated from their own kind become very distressed and jittery, causing them to start trembling uncontrollably before exploding in a burst of aether.
Genetics and Reproduction
Beer beetles reproduce rapidly as long as their two primary sources of nutrition - people and beer - are in good supply. A beer beetle can have as many as 50 young at once, laying their eggs across beer kegs to feed off bacteria and yeast. These eggs also look like beer bubbles if not properly examined.
They usually hatch after 10 hours and emerge fully grown. The young smooth down their hairs and eat the eggs for a first meal before helping themselves to the beer and yeast.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Beer beetles are omnivores and primarily scavengers, though they are not above hunting should the need arise. Their preferred food - by the wishes of their mage creator - seems to be human flesh and blood. It is unknown for which reason this occurred, other than to settle a grudge with an alcoholic rival.
They thrive off beer and its primary components, including yeast and other bacteria. They will eat mould off of food whilst remaining undetected by casual onlookers before settling for the rest. If unmonitored, a beer beetle can quickly take over a kitchen or unfortunate inn. Though they have these determined preferences, they can and will eat other pests to survive - especially if they have blood or are carrying bacteria.
Beer beetles, since they live for such a short time, have no concept of storage or long-term planning. If their jaws can take in something and if they can eat it, they will.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
There have been recorded attempts to use beer beetles as indicators of disease, mostly kept in lantern-like devices for the safety of patients and practitioners alike. Since this method proved ineffective in diagnosing some diseases, the scientific community was hesitant of their usefulness.
This problem was of further concern when the beetles were left in critical malnutrition. They not only ate each other, but some also escaped the container and threatened to attack the researchers. Once all of them were exterminated by burning the facility, the project was abandoned.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
A beer beetle can live in most environments that contain some beer and people to drink it, but most of them are concentrated in the Southern Beastwilds. Their bodies simply cannot withstand cold temperatures and they are known to squeak in distress when too warm. That is, before they explode.
Average Intelligence
Though not universally described as geniuses, the beer beetle is very determined and manoeuvrable. When contained, it can escape from this source of stress with uncanny desperation. Some comment that this is simply because they eat any organic vessel they're trapped in, whilst others claim this strong willpower as a consequence of their hardwired habit to explode when too anxious.
Scientific Name
Endopterygota Coleoptera Sollicitus
Lifespan
5 days
Conservation Status
They are considered a pest, so their extermination is somewhat encouraged.
Average Height
1.96" - 8.86" (50 mm - 225 mm)
Average Weight
0.14 oz - 0.32 oz (4 g - 9 g)
Average Length
5.91" - 9.84" (150 mm - 250 mm)
Average Physique
They look round and small to most, similar to an incredibly fluffy spider missing two legs. These legs, however, are much shorter and lie underneath the carapace, safely camouflaged along with the rest of it.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Beer beetles usually come in varying shades of beige to most resemble beer froth. Some that have recently moulted appear to be white, but none have this pigment permanently. The more beer they drink, the dark their exoskeletons become, though they usually stray very little from the colour brown. In circumstances where they've consumed a lot of blood, some will appear a deep brown or maroon.
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Ooo intriguing - I will never look at beer froth the same ever again.
Thanks, it was fun to write! ^^