Ghoul Hive Bees

These bees infest dense thickets and undefended towns. Ghoul Hive Bees take their name from the foul way they form their hives. Rather than gathering material to build a structure, these insects prefer to infest a living host. They lay their eggs inside a living creature, parasitizing the body and slowly taking over the mind. As the colony grows inside the host, the body begins to change. Bees reshape the flesh into large honeycombs that protrude from the head and torso. The flesh is also chewed and regurgitated into a dark red honey, preventing decay of the body as it becomes a zombie.

As the unfortunate creature's body degrades and the colony grows, the bees release chemicals that work their way into the mind of the host. The host wanders aimlessly until signals from the bees change. When the hive detects a threat or a potential new host, they direct the shambling corpse to attack. As the zombie hive attacks, it lets out a gurgling howl, and claws, bites, and strikes. A cloud of soldier-caste bees erupt from the body, filling the victim with venom. Any wounds opened on the new victim become easy access for egg-laying workers. Before long, the colony has a new hive.