SCP-3496

SCP-3496 at the time of recovery.

Item #: SCP-3496

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-3496 is to be kept in a standard storage locker in the light containment sector of Site-77. On a twice-daily basis, SCP-3496 is to undergo a full scan in a magnetic resonance imaging machine. Should SCP-3496 be free of any instances of SCP-3496-1, it is to be treated with one dose of Type B antifungal cream, one dose of standard antiseptic spray, followed by three applications of chlorine conditioner flushing media.

In the case that SCP-3496 has manifested any amount of SCP-3496-1 instances, the instances are to be carefully extracted, terminated, and incinerated if not of the genus Apis. In the event that SCP-3496-1 is of the genus Apis, SCP-3496 is to be transferred to Biological Propagation Relay 64 (operated in part by Wilson's Wildlife Solutions) in accordance with Document 3496-B and the Boring Agreement until the completion of the manifestation period. After SCP-3496 has completed manifestation, it is to be returned to Site-77 for regular containment.

Description: SCP-3496 is a small, crudely carved mask. The inside of SCP-3496 consists of several holes bored in a pattern similar to that created by Lyctinae. Approximately every one to three weeks, SCP-3496 enters a period of spontaneous generation where it continually manifests instances of SCP-3496-1 every 14-20 minutes. This period of spontaneous generation typically lasts about three days before SCP-3496 returns to an inert state.

Instances of SCP-3496-1 consist of a single species of animal from the phylum Arthropoda . During each period of spontaneous generation, all manifested instances of SCP-3496-1 belong to the same, albeit random, species. Typically, all instances of SCP-3496-1 take up habitation in SCP-3496. Should a group of SCP-3496-1 be currently inhabiting SCP-3496, SCP-3496 will be rendered inert. See Experiment Log SCP-3496-A.

In the case that all SCP-3496-1 instances inhabiting SCP-3496 are removed, (either through termination or translocation) SCP-3496 will once again resume its cycle of spontaneous generation every one to three weeks.

Since containment, the following table has been created to track the species of SCP-3496-1:

Species Common Name Notes Vespas crabro European hornet Several hundred instances found dead in and around SCP-3496 at the time of recovery, presumably due to below livable temperatures. Anelosimus eximius Argentianian Social Spider Fifty instances manifested before termination and incineration. Procambarus clarkii Cambarid Freshwater Crayfish Two instances manifested, terminated, and incinerated. Paratrechina longicornis Longhorn Crazy Ant See Experiment 3496-A Grammostola rosea Chilean Rose-Haired Tarantula Two instances manifested and took up residence in separate sections of SCP-3496. A further two instances manifested and were killed by the previous inhabitants. The remaining two instances have been terminated and incinerated. Apis mellifera Western Honey Bee See Document SCP-3496-B

Deceased SCP-3496-1 instance. Experiment 3496-A Purpose: To observe the behaviour of SCP-3496-1 instances over an extended period of time.

Procedure: SCP-3496 is placed in a 1m x 1m x 0.3m glass box filled with a substrate of soil and rocks. After three days, SCP-3496 begins a period of manifestation, producing 134 instances of SCP-3496-1, species Paratrechina longicornis, at which point SCP-3496 manifested a queen, followed by another 562 drones. Instances of SCP-3496-1, over the course of two days constructed a fully functional colony. For the next six days, no further manifestations were observed.

Every day at 0600 hours, one cockroach of species Blaptica dubia is crushed and placed in the enclosure to provide the colony of SCP-3496-1 with food.

After six days, the queen, believed to be unfertilized, began producing viable eggs.

The colony continued to grow for three months, during which no further periods of spontaneous generation were exhibited by SCP-3496. However, the colony still appeared to grow at unprecedented rates. The population had reached well over 10,000 in number in only twelve weeks. Food supplies were increased by one roach a day for every estimated 1,000 ants.

After another month's time, an infection of Cordyceps fungus broke out, quickly destroying the colony over the course of two weeks. Efforts to treat the fungus were ineffectual. It is unknown as to what the origin of the fungal outbreak is, as both the rocks and the substrate were tested for contaminants along with the Dubia roaches before introduction to the enclosure.

Observations: SCP-3496 appears to produce extremely viable instances of SCP-3496-1, capable of reproduction well beyond typical rates. Analysis of the original manifestations show the DNA of all original drones and queen to be nearly identical, with only very minor variations. DNA analysis of SCP-3496-1 instances born of the originally manifested queen appear to be genetically identical, suggesting asexual reproduction.

It is hypothesized that the Cordyceps fungus was brought in along with SCP-3496, though this appears to be unlikely due the the extent of testing performed on SCP-3496 prior to final implementation of containment procedures. Further testing is required to support or disprove this hypothesis.