Hupyrian beetle
September 10, 2112
Octavio Briswald’s field notes
Written by Leonard Fitzmurdle
As Commander Briswald is incapacitated at the moment, I am temporarily taking over his field note duties.
Our latest endeavor was capturing and transporting a few healthy specimens of the Hupyrian beetle, to invigorate the inbred populations on Valakis. I must confess that this task was undertaken primarily to fill our depleted coffers, as this month’s grant money has run dangerously low already. Still, we were interested to see the creatures in their natural habitat.
The breed of Hupyrian beetle currently farmed for snuff is a large but docile animal. The wild variety, as with many ancestral strains of domesticated creatures, is almost unrecognizable, both physically and in temperament. Although slightly smaller, it has a much brighter and shinier exterior, the same rich color as an Earth chestnut. Its legs are longer and covered with small spikes, presumably used for protection. Even without these spikes, I find it hard to imagine what predator would be bold enough to approach these creatures and their razor sharp mandibles.
The wild breed also has two other crucial distinctions from its farmed descendants, which we unfortunately discovered a tad on the late side. Once we had located the creatures in the jungle, Commander Briswald got the idea that he could lead them back to the ship by the same method used on the domestic breed: specifically, inserting a hoop through its carapace and attaching this hoop to a leash. However, after he crept up behind one of the beasts and leapt astride its back, we discovered that these species are in fact able to fly; moreover, the defensive spikes on their legs are equipped with a powerful paralyzing venom, which Commander Briswald unhappily discovered while 20 meters off the ground.
Despite my initial alarm, the natives have assured me that the effects of the venom are temporary, and I expect Commander Briswald will be back to his usual form in no time. Meanwhile, I am piloting us back to Valakis, the ship unusually quiet aside from the scrapings and screetchings of the giant beetles in our hold.
Other mentions: Quark's mother and the Grand Nagus Zek both invested in beetle farms (DS9).
