A very few, however, have managed to survive by ingenuity and superior adaptation. Of these, the Paussid beetles—Bianca’s current area of study—are the most successful. The Paussids have dwelt within ant nests for millions of years, utilizing various means to lull their unwitting hosts into accepting them. Now the nanovirus has been working with them and, although they are not as intelligent as Portia, they still have a certain cunning and the ability to work together, and utilize their versatile pheromonal toolkit with considerable insight.
