Item #: SCP-XXXX
Object Class: Euclid
Containment Procedures: The subject must be kept in a 5 meters by 7 meters by 5 meters non-conductive chamber with no electric apparatus in, or around a 15 meter radius of, the chamber. Any and all personnel found with an electric apparatus around the 15 meter radius or within SCP-XXXX’s chamber will have it confiscated, and said personnel will then be locked in the subject’s chamber as sustenance. The confiscated electric apparatus will be used for the future testing and feeding of SCP-XXXX. During the subject’s reproduction period, no personnel may be within SCP-XXXX’s chamber, as its aggression rises during this time period. If the subject is found to be within its reproduction period during weekly inspection, 8 weeks must pass before further weekly inspections may occur. If SCP-XXXX breaches its chamber, electric apparatus confiscated or provided must be used to lure and keep the subject within its chamber until the breach is resolved. The subject must be fed one live animal (smaller than the subject) weekly and one active electric device (confiscated or provided) must be placed in its chamber daily. Personnel attempting to feed SCP-XXXX must wear a rubber jumpsuit when entering its chamber.
Description: SCP-XXXX is a mantis-like creature that may be found as an adult, nymph, or egg sac. The subject as an adult mantis is structurally similar to the Chinese mantis or tenodera sinensis. An adult specimen reaches up to approximately 150 centimeters long, about 15 times as long as the average Chinese mantis specimen. The nymph is born at a length of approximately 15 centimeters long, and reportedly has five levels of growth. Each level of growth (not including birth) begins as the nymph molts, with the last molt making the adult 10 times as large as a newborn nymph (See Addendum XXXX-01. The egg sac is seemingly similar to the ootheca of a Chinese mantis but 7 times as large in radius. Along with this increase in size, the egg sac also conducts electricity and has a hardness equivalent to █ on the Mohs Scale of Hardness (See Addendum XXXX-02).
The first contained specimen of SCP-XXXX was found in the power plant of █████, ██████, which reported several blackouts that the power plant blamed on “faulty wiring.” When the SCP Foundation reconnaissance team consisting of ██ agents found the subject, a capture attempt ensued. The incident resulted in the capture of the subject, but also the deaths of █ agents and the injury of ██. Autopsy revealed the deaths were caused by a combination of electrocution and blood loss due to perforations in the abdomen and limbs.
Analysis and testing of SCP-XXXX revealed the subject can sense electric currents flowing within a 15 meter radius using its antennae, which have been reported to move rapidly when an electric source is located. It is important to note that it need not be artificial electricity—SCP-XXXX senses static electricity in humans as well. Electromagnetic energy’s effect on SCP-XXXX is still being tested. When the source is found, the subject uses its conductive tongue to “absorb” electricity from the source. Absorbed electricity is then stored in a gland within the abdomen. While the structure of the subject is similar to mantises, this gland has not been found in any species of mantis researched so far, suggesting this may be a mutation found only in the subject. The electricity serves as both an energy reserve and a weapon. When unable to find live food for a long period of time, small amounts of electricity in the gland leak out into the subject’s body, react with the cells in the body, and give SCP-XXXX energy. When hunting live food and defending itself from predators, electricity is transferred from the storage gland to the spines on its claws through conductive nerves in the body, which can then be used to electrocute prey and enemies (See Addendum XXXX-03 and Addendum XXXX-04).
During the reproduction period, SCP-XXXX creates an egg sac which has been shown to produce only one nymph at a time. To date, SCP-XXXX is assumed to be asexual, as each instance on record has made a fertilized egg sac as an adult without a mate. Recordings of this reproduction period show that the adult senses when the egg sac is about to hatch. Before the nymph emerges from the egg sac, the adult grapples onto the egg sac and then sends a massive electric shock through the egg sac's conductive shell. Subsequently, the adult dies, and the nymph emerges from the egg sac. Researchers are split on the reasoning behind this martyrdom. Some researchers believe the adult specimen passes on any electric energy it possesses onto the nymph so that it may defend itself and hunt bigger prey with ease when it emerges from the egg sac; the adult then dies from exhaustion due to losing all of its electric energy in a short amount of time. Other researchers have reason to believe electric currents affect the cells of the egg sac, which then rapidly decay to assist in the nymph’s emergence; the materials in the conductive egg sac multiply the damaging effects of the electric currents, which may become too powerful for the adult to recover from. Both theories are still being tested.
Addendum XXXX-02:
Conductivity and hardness of egg sac was tested when SCP-XXXX was lured away from it with electric currents from a confiscated cattle prod. While the adult was busy absorbing the electricity of the cattle prod and the Class D personnel holding it, two tests were performed on SCP-XXXX's egg sac. A small electric current was sent through the egg sac, which was consequently shown to be conductive. The current seemed to produce no effect on the egg sac, suggesting it can only react through SCP-XXXX-1’s stored electricity; however, it is still unknown whether the factor that causes the reaction is the heat, voltage, or current. The second test involved scraping several materials on the egg sac to test the hardness. Only [DATA EXPUNGED] created a scratch, suggesting SCP-XXXX-3 had a hardness of █ as listed on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. The scratch still had no effect on SCP-XXXX-3 or the nymph that hatched from it. Regardless, further tests of hardness are not to be performed in order to ensure the emergence and natural growth of SCP-XXXX-2. - Dr. ██████
Addendum XXXX-03:
Despite the assumption by some scientists in The Foundation that this may just be a mutation in a species of mantis, the fact that it only produces one offspring at a time, plus the concern over human welfare if kept free, is reason enough to have it contained. Furthermore, if it is able to be tamed, SCP-XXXX has the possibility of becoming a “walking battery” of sorts that may be used to recharge needed apparatus. This is very unlikely though, since SCP-XXXX is thoroughly aggressive as a nymph and as an adult towards humans, and will try to absorb an unprotected personnel’s static electricity when given the chance. Potential training through the use of electric apparatus is still being researched. - Dr. █████
Addendum XXXX-04:
Despite what was mentioned in Addendum XXXX-03, any personnel attempting to use SCP-XXXX to charge any electric devices for personal use will be transferred to another project, and their electric device will be confiscated for future testing on the subject. - Dr. █████
