Placeholder-Bugs/Petes

Written by Ken D

Everybody loves rest, especially everybody in Heimland (excluding the machines, as they can't sleep). But something that every person in Heimland must handle at some point in their life is encountering a Placeholder-Bug.
These little critters can be found in the woods, in cemeteries, in ruined settlements.....and bedrooms.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Placeholder-Bugs, better known as "Petes", are small slimy critters resembling woodlouse (rather plump woodlouse) with flattened bodies and 7 pairs of jointed legs. Their carapace is either translucent-white (larvae), a glossy matte-black (male) or an amethyst-purple (female). They have complex, compound eyes with lenses made of calcite. These little critters may appear rather cute at first, but do not be deceived by their pudgy legs or squeaking noises they produce when hungry. These insects may be the most deceptive species in all of Heimland.
Petes can stab sting creatures with their tiny rear-stingers and inject them with a hallucinogenic substance known as Le'Veon (this substance is commonly used to produce the pharmaceutical KG). The effects of Le'Veon are.....weird, to say the least. Effects of Le'Veon may last for a few minutes or a few hours, depending on the dosage of the substance. Although Le'Veon is non-lethal, it has many narcotic properties and may cause the injected to perceive hallucinations almost like Duramax.
It has also been observed that Petes are immune to poison, excessive force and blades of all sorts (their carapace is as thin as plastic, but as strong as steel). There have been stories of people who have tried to kill these critters with swords and guns, to no avail. There is even a story of a powerful Folk named Rufus who tried to slice a Pete in half with his broadsword when he found one of them in his bed, but ended up breaking his sword in two in the process.

Genetics and Reproduction

They reproduce through clusters of eggs, with one cluster containing 10,000 larvae and 12 clusters being produced in one year. Males and females reproduce one a month, then the female eats the male after one year. Then the female looks for another mate the next year.

Growth Rate & Stages

Larvae hatch within 3 weeks and grow into adults within 3 years.

Ecology and Habitats

Petes require very moist habitats with limited light and lots of decaying plant matter. They prefer to hide in beds, due to the warmth given off by the bodies of living beings and the abundance of food they provide.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Petes chiefly feed on decaying plant matter, but also graze lichens and algae from tree-bark and walls. They also consume sweat and earwax from living beings, hence their odd habits.
Petes have a habit of invading people's beds at night. If they find desired individuals (sleeping victims) they will tend to crawl into the person's ear-holes or nostrils to feed on the snot or ear-wax they find (which they apparently find delicious). They have also been known to crawl into people's armpits to get at the salty sweat. Sometimes they might accidentally sting a person they are feeding on if disturbed. Although the practice of crawling into sleeping people is creepy enough, Petes have been known to lay down on people's pillows and watch them sleep (for unknown reasons, which makes them even creepier).

Biological Cycle

Petes are able to regulate their temperature through their behavior, preferring bright sunshine when temperatures are low, but remaining in shadow when temperatures are high; temperatures below −2 °C (28 °F) or above 36 °C (97 °F) are lethal to them.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Temperate regions of Heimland.

Average Intelligence

Unknown (they might be smarter than they let on).

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They seem to sense a person's fear, and seem to enjoy scaring the living hell out of their victims. They also seem to be highly amused by urinating on a person's ear just to annoy them.

Civilization and Culture

History

There is one documented case (recorded by the Old Folk) of the effects of Le'Veon on an individual, recorded 60 years ago. A man by the name of Samuel Mudd was stung by a Pete and injected with 1 dose of Le'Veon venom. The following information was documented:
"Mister Mudd proceeded to scream and rip his clothes off until he was absolutely stark naked. He escaped his house premises (in the nude) and proceeded to run about the whole city of Disra screaming "I am the queen of dragons!!!" and urinating on whoever was unfortunate enough to wander close to the man. When nearby machines attempted to restrain the intoxicated man, he proceeded to scream that he was "a warlock" with "blood of a tiger" and that the "Flying-Spaghetti-Monsters have touched me with their noodly appendages" and made him a "super-soldier ninja barbarian pirate warrior from the belly of the beast and the demon's anus". After the machines restrained Mister Mudd, the effects of the Le'Veon faded away in a few hours time. Mister Mudd would later say that he could not remember anything that happened during the intoxication, which attracted a few giggles from a group of schoolchildren who had witnessed the whole shebang."
This documented event shows the power of the Le'Veon venom. It also shows how lethal Petes are, and why they are sometimes known as "Placeholder-Bugs" (with the term "Placeholder" referring to the fact that their Le'Veon seems to hold a victim's mind in place and fill the person's head with hallucinations for a time, almost like a narcotic-fueled mind-control session).

Scientific Name

Armadillidium-Affine-Armeniense-Schellenbergi-Brevicaudatum-Commutatum-Decipiens-Marmoreum-Nitidulum-Oliveti-Sorattinum-Subdentatum-Variegatum-Convexus-Ater-Marmoreus-Pilularis-Pustulatus-Trivialis-Variegatus-Vulgaris

Lifespan

200 years

Average Height

1 milimeter

Average Weight

0.0284 pounds

Average Length

18 millimeters (0.71 in)