Dragon Beetle

A foot-long beetle with a red and black spiky carapace and three tiny horns jutting from its head, this creature also sports a long, slender stinger at the tip of its abdomen.

Combat
Dragon beetles are timid creatures when encountered singly. If threatened, a solitary beetle will seek to flee, hissing and rasping in agitation as it does so. If unable to flee, a solitary beetle will not attack, but will simply sit motionlessly, hissing threateningly. In numbers, however, they swarm readily to the attack, stinging and biting in a vicious mass until their target flees or falls.

The stinger of a dragon beetle inflicts very littledamage, but carries a curious venom. This poison is ineffective against all targets except for dragons, drakes and the dray. Against these, however, it can be deadly in its potency.

Description
The dragon beetle is a largely inoffensive insect that dwells primarily in the caverns beneath Giustenal. It has a sharp bite that is more painful than dangerous and possesses a venomous stinger. It is this venom that gives the creature its name, for it is only effective against dragons, drakes and the dray. Creatures of all other species are completely unaffected.

The beetles subsist principally on carrion but are capable of bringing down large targets if they act in sufficient numbers. Carcasses are also used for egg-laying purposes, and dragon beetles will attempt to drag bodies of suitable size back to their nest for use in this way. Young beetles eat their way out of their nursery when they are large enough to join the rest of the nest. Dragon beetle nests are usually led by a single 3 HD member of the species.

The dray have learned methods of hunting and dealing with dragon beetle nests and are also reputed to be able to harvest the creatures‘ venom. Dragon beetle carapaces are also woven together to produce armor, but this is a painstaking process and its art has become rare amongst the younger dray.