Stomach Bugs

> "*Awww, they are so cute!*"
> ― The Ninja, Sun and Lava
>
>

A **Stomach Bug** (also called as **Glowing Gut Beetle** by Zane and Fluttershy and **Gastrointestinal Glowing Bug** by Nya) are the inhabitants inside the belly of Beohernie. They are helpful to the Ninja and the Mane Six, as Lloyd refers they are kind and helpful.

## Depictions in the Series

The beetles were inhabited inside the belly of Beohernie. It helps him to digest food and fight pests. They are also great in breathing underwater in the lake of Stomach acid, which Jay refers as ‘Beetle juice’. It also a good navigator to find something that they need.

### The Belly of the Beast

When Zane and Fluttershy got swallowed by Beohernie, they were inside the belly of the beast but it was so dark that they cannot see. One of the stomach bugs came to help them find where is the the inverter of the Land Bounty, while Fluttershy names one of the stomach bug as Firesky. She asked her friends to glow the cradles so Fluttershy and Zane can go deeper in the belly.

The beetles accepted Fluttershy as they help her and Zane to find the inverter, as well as, Princess Skystar and Terramar, which were stuck in the belly after battling on Mount Aris. After they free them and found the inverter, they thank the beetles but they also help them to find the way out of his stomach. Despite their cuteness, Fluttershy lets Firesky to look after their home.

### Sun and Lava

After the Ninja are inside the belly of the beast when trying to escape from the lava that erupted by Aspheera earlier, Cole was infuriated about the small light on his face, screaming in disgust, along with Kai, Jay and the rest of the Mane Six. Kai thought that the glowing beetle is a parasite for the giant scarab beetle, but Nya explains that it is not a parasite. As the Ninja were amazed to the Gut Beetles due to their cuteness and adorability, Zane revealed them they are friends.

One of the beetles was placed on Kai’s shoulder, when they are asking how the Sun provides warmth. Later, the beetles help Lloyd and Nya to map out the star’s life.

### Under Siege

A stomach beetle cheers Lloyd up when he was upset that Wu is the “Treacherous Deceiver”. Few stomach bugs made a cameo as they are flying while Lloyd and Twilight Sparkle sang “The Midnight In Me”.

### The Explorer’s Club

A stomach bug came to help Kai made the Phoenix Egg warm.

## Appearences

### Season 11: Rainbow Roadtrip

* 169. The Belly of the Beast
* 172. Sun and Lava
* 177. Under Siege
* 180. The Explorer’s Club

## Trivia

* In real life, a stomach bug is an intestinal infection marked by watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes fever. It is another phrase for viral Gastroenteritis.
* The beetles are similar to the intestinal microbes in humans, both are which help to digest food and fight pests.
* Lloyd said that the beetles are helpers, as he said “one small thing can make a difference”, which is the same quote that Princess Skystar said.
* The Glowing Gut Beetle is almost similar to the Ailen Parasites in Delta V, but some differences:
	+ The alien parasites only feeds on metal alloys while the stomach bugs feeds on the food that was partially digested by the giant scarab beetle.
	+ The Ninja uses the parasite as a weapon, while they use the glowing beetles to locate the inverter.
* Jay said that the stomach bugs are resemble as fireflies, which exists elsewhere.
* It is a second small creature that Cole was disgusted at first, the first is the sewer slug in “Pause and Effect”.
* So far, Firesky is the only Stomach Bug to be named by a character.