Sanshu

Sanshu also known as Sun Bugs and the Great Plague, are a species descendant of moths various millions years ago that developed a hive mind. They are considered the biggest plague in history and destroyed the massive ancient civilization of Celtaya.

Life Cycle
Sanshu are invertebrates related to moths genetically but have since evolved from them separately into a complete new order of insects. Unfortunately for the order the Sanshu are the only known species to have survived and are the only in the order Consonanptera. Much like moths they have a 3 staged life cycle with complete metamorphosis. The Larva, the Pupa and the Adult Form.

Larva
Larva Sanshu are by far the most commonly seen state of life a Sanshu will have in it's century long Life. Larva Sanshu's sport only 2 pairs of movable appendage as well as additional 2 pairs that have evolved to serve different functions. Sanshu move with only 4 legs, and can move at speeds somewhat impressive for it's average size roughly the same as that of a golf ball. Sanshu also percieve things only by smell until they become fully grown.

Their exoskeleton has covered the appendages that points upwards in their back and the ones near it's mouth. The exoskeleton has since left these parts unable to move but have instes reinforced them for their new jobs, the 2 appendages pointing upwards serve as protection from predators trying to hit or hunt them from above, and the ones in front are useful to tear through hard materials.

All Sanshu birthed from the same Adult Sanshu will share a common consciousness with it's progenitor and will follow them and obey them until their progenitor dies and the command disappears and the Sanshu all become independent. Whenever Sanshu become released from their hive mind they will flood the lands in search of food to quickly become a pupa and then an adult. The great number of deaths of adult Sanshus is an ill omen that Sanshu plagues are coming.

Sanshu are omnivorous and will eat anything and everything they come across, destroying hard materials with the tearing appendages near their mouths. This trait is what led to the destruction of the Celtaya Civilization when they released the Sanshu from the caves they were confined into and captured the adults.

Pupa
After consuming enough food in a short enough amount of time Sanshu will form a pupa around them and begin their metamorphosis. The pupa themselves are considerably powerful and can withstand almost all environmental damage and most natural catastrophes. Their golden colors and ornamental design was what made the Celtaya investigate the caves when they found large groups of them in the sea.

Adult
Adult Sanshu are only known by depictions of ancient drawings of the Celtaya civilization and are largely unobserved by the supermajority of the world. Those that have seen them have commented on how terrifyingly large they are for an insect, being as big as a child, and flying in front of a massive army of child Sanshu.

Adult Sanshu appear to be terrifyingly territorial as far as insects go, and largely live most of their life looking for a female to mate with and lay eggs. The eggs then serve as a private army that Adult Sanshu can exploit for their own survival and to lay more and more eggs. Adult Sanshu's will generally live long enough for their babies to number 1 million, but in general, Sanshu's don't survive long enough to become adult.

Adult Sanshu's have been known to age to at least 130 years, the longest life recorded in an insect ever. This massive life limit is however reduced to an average life time of only 4-5 years, because 99% of Sanshu's will generally die from various sources before their 10th year.