Giant boring beetle

A giant boring beetle was a type of giant beetle that could form an intelligent hive mind with others of the same species, and its ability to bore.

Description
Boring beetles were common creatures, but had animal intelligence, unlike other beetles, which were non-intelligent. They were approximately 9 feet (2.7 meters) long.

Behavior
They fed on rotting wood and other organic material, so were often found in huge trees and unused underground tunnels. If in areas devoid of organic material, they intelligently grew cultures of molds, slimes, and fungi for food.

Ecology
Being smarter than other giant beetles, groups of boring beetles developed a communal intelligence that generated a level of consciousness and reasoning ability like that of a human brain. Due to this level of collective intelligence, they could collect treasure and magical items. These creatures appeared in groups of up to eighteen beetles.

They used their fungal food not only for nutrition, but also for other reasons. For example, shrieker fungi functioned as nest alarms, which alerted the collective hivemind when intruders came into their home. When triggered, the beetles reacted very quickly to such alarms, swarming the intruders. After the battle, the boring beetles took the remains of their enemies and either ate them, or used the organic material to raise saprophytic plants.

Combat
They used their large mandibles in combat to inflict powerful bites upon their victims.

Appearances

 * Sourcebooks
 * Elminster's Ecologies
 * Monstrous Manual
 * Video games
 * Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear
 * Forgotten Realms Unlimited Adventures
 * Icewind Dale
 * Icewind Dale II