Talk:Bloodflies/@comment-29344802-20161118081419/@comment-29344802-20161119055305

8-Bit Jack,

I see your point, but you have to consider the difference in environment between Serkonos and a Pandyssian jungle. Additionally, I said 'given the chance'. There is likely to be very little chance of nestkeeper reproduction in such an environment in Karnaca due to population barriers and a lack beneficial environment, leading to an extreme lack of chance. When you look at Pandyssia however, it is much less inhibited.

The relative lack of nestkeepers is due to a lack of suitable hosts and a decreased ratio of efficiency combined with the fact that  Bloodfly Fever is an epidemic in Serkonos, so it has a lot of attention. Not many hosts would reach a nestkeeper state, even given correct host conditions, as it wouldn't go unchecked. Additionally, we only see small bloodfly colonies, but it stands to reason that the bigger the colony, the more nestkeepers. Reproduction would work in this favor as it would provide a quick and relatively efficient method of providing hosts. R eproduction would be an end-of-lifecycle endeavor,; It is very common among parasitic relationships. As for the care of a nestkeeper baby... they wouldn't.There would be an increadily high mortaility rate for sure, but the goal isn't for all of them to survive in the first place. If a baby dies... Well, that is still of benefit to them, as they now have another body to make use of. Also, if you hadn't noticed, n estkeepers have been altered to survive off of bloodfly secretions (similar to bees), so that self-care is much more attainable in the first place.

These aren't just poorly thought out fancies of mine. I'm not saying they are guaranteed to be correct, as there are any number of variables that could be askew. What I am saying is that I study parasitic relationships as a hobby (particularly, parasitic entomology).