An Ing Larva Swarm is a large group of infant Ing. They are found solely in the Entrance Defense Hall in the Ing Hive. An Ing larva is the youngest form of Ing, and due to its small size, frail body and feeble lunge attack (resulting in its own death if the target is armored), it will never venture out on its own. Instead, multiple larvae will travel together in swarms to increase their chances of survival, in which their lunge attack significantly increases in strength as a result of their sheer numbers.
If they survive long enough, they will grow to eventually become either Inglets, Warrior Ing, Hunter Ing, or any other sub-species of Ing. It is unknown what determines their future class.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes never states how Ing larvae are produced, nor how they are born. Except for the male title present in the name of the eldest member of the species (the Emperor Ing), there is no other mention of any existing genders within the Ing. This leads to the conclusion that the Ing are hermaphrodites (fertilizing themselves and/or a partner), or reproduce asexually.
Logbook entry[]
Ing Larva Swarm
Morphology: Ing Larva Swarm. Large pack of hunting infants. Swarm is largely harmless. Infants will avoid bright light when possible.
Ing larvae travel in swarms for protection. They are weak with no real defenses or attacks. The few that make it to adulthood are quite cunning and vicious.
Trivia[]
- As there are various forms of Ing, it is likely that the Larvae are the template for Ing life, and will grow into any of the Ing Forms depending on their roles, much like stem cells.
| Ing | |
|---|---|
| Ruling caste | Emperor Ing |
| Battle forms | Warrior Ing • Hunter Ing • Boost Guardian • Jump Guardian • Ingstorm • Darkling Tentacle |
| Submissive | Darkling • Inglet • Ing Webtrap • Flying Ing Cache |
| Immobile | Bladepod • Ingsphere Cache • Ingworm Cache • Ingworm • Webling • Ingclaw |
| Misc | Black fog • Ing Horde • Ing Larva • Fusion attack • Transdimensional energy • Phaz-Ing |
| Swarm creatures | |
|---|---|
| Metroid Prime | Parasite • Scarab • Tallon Crab • Lumigek |
| Metroid Prime 2: Echoes | Seedburster • Hydling • Scatterbug • Ing Larva Swarm • Ingstorm |
| Metroid Prime 3: Corruption | Scorchbug • Snatcher • Steamspider • Scritter • Phazon Leech • Miniroid • Crawlmine • Salamander |
| Metroid: Samus Returns | Blob Swarm • Meboid • Mumbo • Paraby |
| Metroid Dread | Daivo Swarm • Dizzean • Fing • Redenki • Yojimbee |