Nightcrawler Borvermid

Having been spread throughout the Dixon-Darwin continent by the Twineshrog, False Cleaner Borvermids were introduced to a plethora of new hosts across the mainland. In order to exploit their new prey, the Borvermids had to adapt beyond the nests of their shrog hosts, and so the Nightcrawlers were born.

Nightcrawler Borvermids are common bloodsuckers which split from their ancestor, feasting on the red, iron-rich blood of Carpozoans and Sagavermes throughout their range. They more often feed on Carpozoans, as larger organisms of that type are more common, but rarer Sagavermes meals do just fine. During the day, the Nightcrawlers sleep beneath the soil, avoiding potential diurnal predators. At night, these nocturnal worms awaken to locate sleeping prey. Nightcrawlers creep slowly through the undergrowth, often winding themselves between and under rocks and flora to remain out of sight from nocturnal predators. Retaining the extendable and retractable eyestalks of their ancestors, the worms can peek from their hiding spots without revealing their bodies.

After finding a suitable source of blood, they pierce the creature’s flesh with pointed jaws, releasing compounds in their saliva to prolong bleeding. After around 20 minutes, the Nightcrawler will drink enough blood to sustain themselves for several weeks, sleeping in the soil until a new moon rises.

During a new moon, Nightcrawler Borvermids emerge from the soil en masse in order to breed. These events cause predators to gorge themselves on the mating Nightcrawlers. As Nightcrawlers are r-strategists, losses during breeding do little to hurt their populations, as both mated individuals will produce dozens of live offspring using nutrients from iron-rich blood. Less than a centimeter in length, these young are detritivores, living in the soil much like the ancestral Vermees, and possess a mucus coating to protect themselves from desiccation and infection. After just four months, they will grow into adults and begin feeding on blood.

Hailing from the coastal tropics, Nightcrawler Borvermids have had to adapt to some environments which become far too cold for them in the winter. If temperatures drop below a certain point, Nightcrawlers will instinctively gorge on far more blood than average. Afterwards, they will descend deep into the soil and insulate themselves with a mucus coating similar to the one which coats their young, hibernating until warmer temperatures return. In this state, they can go months without feeding. If a new moon rises during extremely cold temperatures, Nightcrawlers will not emerge to breed.