Item #: SCP-3156

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: All instances of SCP-3156 may be safely stored in Containment Lockers 23 and 24 at Bio-Site-66.

SCP-3156 has been cleared for testing in Site-66's terrarium testing chambers. Researchers interested in testing with SCP-3156 are to contact Dr. Helm and arrange an interview. No test involving SCP-3156 is to last longer than 30 days. After testing is concluded, researchers are to pump testing chambers with applicable insecticides.

Description: SCP-3156 refers to a collection of 17 plastic containers similar to those designed to contain small animals such as rodents or insects. All instances of SCP-3156 possess a design etched onto the side that resembles a door. Instances of SCP-3156 are all visually identical, with exception to the lids of each instance which may be a bright green, orange, or pink.

Anomalous properties of SCP-3156 begin to manifest once an insect or arachnid is inserted into SCP-3156 via the lid. When an insect or arachnid is inserted into SCP-3156, the door design on the side of SCP-3156 will change in size to be similar in proportion to the specimen and will begin functioning as an actual entrance and exit to the container. If there are two or more specimens placed within SCP-3156, the door's size will achieve proportions equal to the average size between all specimens. After this change in structure, all specimens inside SCP-3156 become instances of SCP-3156-1.

SCP-3156-1 is any insect or arachnid that has developed higher cognitive functions as a result of SCP-3156 and displays behaviour reflective of early sociocultural evolution, especially if said evolution is reflective of early developing human society. Provided that the proper materials are available (i.e. wood, stone, etc.), this behaviour typically arises in the creation of primitive tools and structures. During this time, SCP-3156-1 often treats the instance of SCP-3156 that it was placed into as a residence, returning to it during times of rest and leisure. If at least three instances of SCP-3156-1 exist within close proximity to one another, these instances will begin interacting socially with one another regularly, often working together to ensure mutual survival. Researchers are to refer to these groups of SCP-3156-1 living in tandem with one another as a colony.

Provided enough time, colonies, as well as the individual SCP-3156-1 instances within them, will naturally develop. While these developments are often similar to those found in human societies (i.e. systems of trade, government and leadership, medical practices, etc.), they are usually influenced by the specific biology of the SCP-3156-1 instances themselves. For example, a colony farmer of a species of insect that feeds primarily on vegetation, such as Schistocerca americana,1 will focus on growing crops rather than breeding creatures as a source of food (see testing log for more information). It should be noted that while SCP-3156-1 instances are capable of producing a system of language on their own, they are equally capable of adopting an existing language provided that it is available to them in some form (either written or spoken word) early enough in development.

SCP-3156 Testing Log:

SCP-3156-1: Coccinella magnifica2

Colony: 3 instances of SCP-3156, with 10 SCP-3156-1 between them

Other Organisms in Chamber: Aphidoidea3

Test Length: 30 days

Results: During the initial developmental stages, the colony of SCP-3156-1 displayed typical hunter gatherer behaviour as expected in regard to the aphids, however, approximately seventeen days after testing began, SCP-3156-1 had successfully domesticated them. Aphids were often corralled by instances of SCP-3156-1 onto plant stalks for "grazing", and the honeydew produced as a result was collected and stored by SCP-3156-1. The aphids themselves became comfortable around SCP-3156-1 instances, allowing them to be easily contained within an instance of SCP-3156 by the SCP-3156-1 colony (it should be noted that aphids entered SCP-3156 through the "door" on the side, not through the lid. It appears that utilizing this entrance yields no cognitive development in the subject).

SCP-3156-1: Lasius niger4

Colony: 1 instance of SCP-3156, with 100 SCP-3156-1 within, including 1 queen

Other Organisms in Chamber: No

Test Length: 23 days

Results: Over the testing period, the colony of SCP-3156-1 developed into a society resembling a monarchy, with the queen SCP-3156-1 acting as a matriarch. During early development, workers vacated SCP-3156 until only the queen and male phenotype SCP-3156-1 instances remained within, and quickly constructed small mounds for themselves out of materials found within the testing chamber, and began taking on various societal duties, one of which included building a wall around SCP-3156 and the surrounding mounds out of twigs and pebbles. Workers offered portions of what food they had to the queen at regular intervals of 48 hours, which is believed to have been some form of taxation. SCP-3156-1 instances that did not pay this "tax" were often punished by the male phenotype instances and were sometimes executed in a public display, or contained in a chamber dug in the ground below SCP-3156. Approximately 20 days into testing, "taxation" began to occur every 24 hours. Shortly after, one worker instance of SCP-3156-1 entered SCP-3156 and killed the queen with a small stone tool that resembled an axe at approximately 3:47am, and was subsequently dispatched by the male phenotypes. Given that the death of the queen ant occurred prior to any egg-laying or nuptial flight, the colony became incapable of reproducing. Following this incident, workers and male phenotypes began fighting one another, presumably for control of the colony. Testing was then terminated.

SCP-3156-1: Tegenaria domestica5

Colony: 4 instances of SCP-3156, with 1 SCP-3156-1 each.

Other Organisms in Chamber: Musca domestica6

Test Length: 30 days

Results: Despite their naturally solitary nature, all four instances of SCP-3156-1 quickly became accustomed to living and working together. Instances of SCP-3156-1 created several webs throughout the testing chamber, and routinely checked them several times a day. Interestingly, SCP-3156-1 instances would also use webbing in and around their respective SCP-3156. Given that this webbing lacked the structural stability needed for a standard spider web to catch prey, it is assumed it was used for decorative purposes. SCP-3156-1 did not develop past this stage.

SCP-3156-1: Periplaneta americana7

Colony: 5 instances of SCP-3156, with 2 SCP-3156-1 each.

Other Organisms in Chamber: Researcher Warren

Test Length: 30 days

Results: Researcher Warren was within SCP-3156's chamber for six hours during the first day of testing, with instructions to remain near SCP-3156-1, but to avoid physical contact if possible. SCP-3156-1 expressed interest in Researcher Warren, but no instance approached him. Three days after Researcher Warren's departure, SCP-3156-1 decorated the inside of each SCP-3156 instance with a design resembling a stick figure. Seven days after Researcher Warren's departure, SCP-3156-1 created a stone structure resembling a human male approximately 1ft tall located an equal distance away from each SCP-3156 instance. All instances of SCP-3156-1 would approach this statue simultaneously at least once every day after construction was completed, usually between the ranges of 9:00am - 10:30am. Similar effigies continued to be created until the cessation of the test.

SCP-3156-1: Aedes albopictus8

Colony: 3 instance of SCP-3156 with 30 SCP-3156-1 between them.

Other Organisms in Chamber: Sus scrofa domesticus9

Test Length: 3 days

Results: [DATA EXPUNGED]

Addendum-3156-A: SCP-3156 was discovered when Foundation agents intercepted reports from a Mrs. █████ ███████ to local authorities about noises of someone moving in her basement several days after the disappearance of her husband, entomologist Dr. ████ ███████. Despite repeated investigations revealing no one inside the house other than the family, Mrs. ███████ continued to report sounds from the basement. Suspecting SCP involvement, a Foundation investigation revealed a hidden room in the basement of the home that contained all instances of SCP-3156 arranged within a model city, and an open ventilation shaft, as well as the corpse of Dr. ███████, which was covered in currently unidentified bites that contained trace amounts of PhTx3 neurotoxin. Above the Doctor's head the words "GOD IS FINALLY DEAD" were written in Dr. ███████'s blood. No living organisms were found in the basement.

+ Display: Note from Dr. Helm

- Hide: Note from Dr. Helm

After receiving several questions about the necessity of SCP-3156-1's termination, as well as numerous requests for an extension of SCP-3156's mandated testing period, I'm beginning to get tired of repeating myself. So, for those interested, I have two questions:

Do you know how long it took human beings to realize they could plant things in the ground for food? Thousands of years.

Do you know how long it takes these bugs to do the same thing? A few days, maybe a week at the very most.

The point is SCP-3156-1 develops far more rapidly than humans ever have. Sure, this growth doesn't continue to be as remarkably fast as the example I provided above, but it's still damn quick. It's not superficial either; these bugs have been shown to comprehend higher concepts like a God, and this intelligence develops with them. How long would it take for them to rival us intellectually, or perhaps even surpass us? As far as we know, there's no cap on how far they might go, and no indication of how quickly they'll get there,

It only took humans until 1961 to successfully escape Earth and into space. How long would it take SCP-3156-1 to realize just how small the box we've put them in really is? We don't know, and the risk that situation might put us in means we are unwilling to find out.

So, in short: The termination of SCP-3156-1 is a necessity for Foundation security, despite our usual code of conduct when it comes to sapient SCPs. We are here to discover, but we are also here to protect, and to ensure that we must make sure our place in the food chain isn't superseded.

- Dr. Helm

Footnotes

1. American Grasshopper

2. Common Ladybird Beetle

3. Aphid

4. Black Garden Ant

5. Domestic House Spider

6. House Fly

7. American Cockroach

8. Asian Tiger Mosquito

9. Domestic pig