BEETLES

Of vilekin, beetles are one of the most common. From the usually beneficial ladybug, to the pesky weevil, to the glittering firefly, this genus comprehends many different creatures. (1)

As weevils proved devastating to crops, naturalists recommended the introduction of ladybugs to prey upon weevil larvae. However, no matter the coloring, beetles multiply quite ably when food is plentiful--and so, ladybugs are occasionally treated as pests themselves. (1)

(1) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 281

Known species/types of beetles:

- Bark weevil
- Bronze beetle
- Carrier ladybug
- Little ladybug
- Skogs Fru
- Boring weevil

- Grain weevil
- Firefly
- Evenfall firefly
- Glowfly
- Glowering glowfly
- Minobi

- Loverly ladybird
- Parasite ladybug
- Dewdrinker ladybug
- Carrion beetle
- Bumble beetle
- Zadnor beetle

BARK WEEVIL

Bark weevils once plagued the trees of Lower La Noscea and Central Thanalan, but the Calamity's many changes included their disappearance there, and re-emergence in the Central Shroud. (2)

These particular beetles are, per the Trappers' Guild, responsible for spreading pestilence among the inhabitants of the Shroud--not to mention making annoying buzzing sounds--and so are marked for extermination. (3)

(2) Record of mob placement from 1.0, via GamerEscape
(3) Levequest: Stay for a Vile

Habitat: Central Shroud, Lifemend Stump (levequest only)

Combat rating: 1 to 5

BRONZE BEETLE

Bronze beetles are seldom seen by casual observers. Rather, they linger in the walls and crevices of the floors of the Wanderer's Palace, and only make an appearance when someone passes too near or makes too much noise--and then, are seen only in hostile swarms. (4)

(1) Mob placement as of 6.1.

Habitat: The Wanderer's Palace

​Combat Rating: 50

Special note:
Bronze beetles prefer to attack only with the advantage of numbers, half-dozens at least. They can spring from seemingly nowhere when least expected, particularly when one approaches a treasure chest in the Palace.

CARRIER LADYBUG

Leafbleed is a rising issue in Eorzea, whether one is raising crops or protecting trees; and it has no greater friend than ladybugs. Many otherwise inoffensive predators upon aphids can contract and spread the disease, undoing their good work and more also.

As such, those ladybugs easily identified as "carrier ladybugs" are marked out for frequent extermination. (5) (6)

(5) Quest: Bug Looks Like a Lady
(6) Quest: Scourge of the Saplings

Habitats (all levequest-only)
- Lower La Noscea: Moraby Bay
- Central Shroud: The Bannock
- Central Shroud: Lifemend Stump
- East Shroud: Hawthorne Hut

​Combat Rating: 1-4, 14

LITTLE LADYBUG

Of all the vilekin, little ladybugs may be the most widespread and prolific, appearing in the surrounds of all three southern Eorzean cities. This is no natural phenomenon, though, as they were introduced to counter the spread of weevils and aphids--and then, with an abundance of food, began to spread themselves. (1)

Ladybugs are also known to prey upon honeybees, the vilekin so essential for pollinating crops; as such, they are a pest marked for culling by most new adventurers. (7)(8)

The very scent of their viscera is enough to frighten away aphids, and their bodies secrete a scarlet oil much desired for Gridanian augury. (9) (10)

(1) Encyclopaedia Eorzea Vol. 1, p. 281
(7) FATE: Lady Killer
(8) Hunting Logs: All but Rogue and Pugilist; Class quests, level 1
(9) Quest: Beetle Juice
(10) Quest: Essential Oil

Habitats:
- Middle La Noscea: Zephyr Drift
- Lower La Noscea: Cedarwood (quest only)
- Lower La Noscea: Moraby Bay
- Central Shroud: Jadeite Thick
- Central Shroud: Greentear (FATE only)
- North Shroud: Treespeak
- Western Thanalan: The Eighty Sins of Sasamo

Combat Rating: 1 to 4, 6

SKOGS FRU

Hunt bills are regularly issued by Grand Companies for the most dangerous of nuisances, but among those fiends, the least threatening is Skogs Fru, called the Queen of Ladybugs.​

A ladybug grown so large and strong that its shell is likened to adamantine, it can no longer subsist on aphids, worms, and unoffending honeybees; it has moved up to attacking random adventurers and their chocobos as they traverse Middle La Noscea. (11)

(11) Hunter-Scholar: Summerford Farms

Habitat: Middle La Noscea, various
(Link goes to FFXIVHunt.com)

Combat Rating: 50, B-rank

Notes:

Skogs Fru is no ordinary ladybug. Its command of the Bombardier attack and its resistance to steel and magic alike make it a threat worthy of its rank.