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| Grubs | |
|---|---|
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Skin color |
Black, blue, brown, green, orange, red, and yellow |
| Eye color |
Black |
| Distinctions |
Spots, stripes, or wings (dependent on type) |
| Sociocultural characteristics | |
| Habitat |
• Jungle |
| Dominions |
• Hakuna Matata |
| Predators |
• Honey badgers |
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Grubs are a species of animal native to Hakuna Matata, the Outlands, the Pride Lands, and the Tree of Life. They are preyed upon by honey badgers, meerkats, and warthogs. In some rare cases, they are preyed upon by lions.
History[]
Simba's adoption of a grubs-only diet[]
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When Simba opted to live with Timon and Pumbaa in the jungle, they told him that he must adopt their grubs-only diet. Though at first reluctant, Simba eventually tried a grub and admitted that it was "slimy, yet satisfying."[1] Over the seasons, Simba became adept at grub-eating, to the point that he could beat Timon in every kind of contest. Desperate, Timon challenged Simba to a snail-slurping contest, but the young lion emerged triumphant.[2]
Timon and Pumbaa's argument[]
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One day, after moving to the Pride Lands, Timon offered Pumbaa a leaf full of grubs, and he ate one, only to immediately spit it back out and admit that he could not tell which grubs were "slimy" from the outside. Timon asserted that "crunchy" grubs were better, and the two devolved into an argument.[3]
Bunga's first search for Utamu[]
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An infant honey badger named Bunga encountered Timon and Pumbaa as they searched for Utamu grubs. Instantly smitten, Bunga began following them around until Timon instructed him to climb a tree and fetch them some Utamu grubs as a test. When Bunga succeeded and gave the grubs to Timon, the meerkat allowed him to stay with him and Pumbaa.[4]
Bee attack on the Lion Guard[]
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One day, Ono reported that bees had built hives on a path in the Pride Lands. Kiara ordered the Lion Guard to divert a herd of elands from the trail so that they would not run into the bees. However, a rebellious Kion decided to move the bees instead. This caused the bees to chase the Lion Guard, who eventually ran into the eland herd. While the bees attacked the elands and the Lion Guard, Bunga feasted on the remaining bees and their honey, immune to their stings.[5]
Bunga's failed search for Utamu[]
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Bunga, Timon, and Pumbaa share in an Utamu feast.
When the Lion Guard stumbled across Mapema Rock, Bunga resolved to hunt for Utamu grubs. Beshte, Kion, and Ono agreed to the task, and the four set out together to search. At first, the group appeared to get lost, but Bunga instructed his friends to follow a group of dung beetles to where the Utamu would be. Along the way, he told them the story of how he had met Timon and Pumbaa.
After the story, Bunga attempted to climb a long-dead tree to fetch some Utamu for his uncles, but the branch broke due to the decay, and the Utamu fell into the river below. Heartbroken, Bunga returned to his uncles and admitted that he had failed to catch any Utamu. Timon gently reminded the honey badger that they celebrated not because of the Utamu, but because of their relationship with Bunga. They then revealed that Utamu grubs had "fallen out of the sky," and the trio shared in a feast of grubs.[4]
Termite infestation[]
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Termites overrun the Lair of the Lion Guard.
When the Lion Guard accidentally drove the aardwolves from the Pride Lands, the termite population spiked. The Lion Guard was lounging in the Lair of the Lion Guard when they noticed that the den had become overrun with termites. Bunga was delighted by this turn of events and proceeded to eat every termite he could get his paws on. In the middle of Bunga's feast, Ono flew in and informed the team that a tree near Mekundu Cliffs was about to collapse with a colony of bats inside. Together, the Guard rushed out of the Lair to save the bats.
Along the way, the Lion Guard crossed a log, which snapped and fell into a ravine behind them. The team wondered why it would do such a thing, since it had always been able to hold their weight before, but Kion reminded his friends that they had no time to lose. They proceeded to the tree, where Bunga climbed inside the trunk and awoke the bats. No sooner had the bats flown out when the tree collapsed, and the Lion Guard realized that the termites had been the source of the collapsing trees. Just then, all the other trees in Mekundu Cliffs collapsed, and Kion resolved to ask his father, Simba, about the situation.
Termites collapse the trees near Mekundu Cliffs.
Once the Lion Guard reached Pride Rock, Simba suggested that the team ask the aardwolves about the problem. When Fuli questioned what an aardwolf was, Simba explained that aardwolves kept the termite population under control. Kion asked where they could find the aardwolves, and Simba suggested that they look in old aardvark dens, since that was the aardwolf's favorite place to sleep. Fuli and Kion immediately began to suspect that the problem was their fault, and Kion learned from his father that aardwolves strongly resembled hyenas. This confirmed Kion's fears, and he admitted to his father that he had used the Roar of the Elders to drive the aardwolves out of the Pride Lands, thinking they were hyenas. Simba gently told his son that he had made a mistake and encouraged him to do his best to fix the problem.
Eventually, the Lion Guard reconciled with the aardwolves, who returned to the Pride Lands and brought the termite population under control. The pack then sent a gift of termites to Bunga in the Lair of the Lion Guard.[6]
Tsetse fly attacks[]
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Tsetse flies plague a herd of cape buffalo.
During the dry season, a herd of cape buffalo stampeded across the Pride Lands, fleeing a cloud of tsetse flies, while the Lion Guard attempted to calm them down. In the midst of the chase, Ono pointed out that tsetse flies detested water, and Kion ordered his team to steer the herd to a nearby water source. After clearing Thurston the zebra and his herd from their path, the Lion Guard successfully led the cape buffalo to a watering hole, where the tsetse flies flew away. Afterward, the Lion Guard found Mbeya upside-down in a dry ditch. Beshte freed Mbeya, who lamented having rolled into the dry streambed to escape the tsetse flies, and the team escorted him back to the watering hole.
Later, the Lion Guard found themselves plagued by tsetse flies. In frustration, Beshte ordered the flies to leave, and to the team's shock, the swarm disappeared. Just then, Thurston and his herd appeared, seeking a new watering hole, and Ono realized that the zebras had been the ones driving off the tsetse flies. Getting an idea, Kion decided to escort both Mbeya and the zebras to a new watering hole.
The tsetse flies avoid Thurston due to his stripes.
Shortly afterward, Madoa approached the Lion Guard and informed them that Jasiri was in trouble. Kion attempted to lead his team to the rescue, but they got caught in a cloud of tsetse flies, which prevented them from moving quickly. Kion suggested that Thurston accompany them to ward off any remaining flies, and the zebra agreed to the mission, hoping to "earn a new stripe" for his bravery.
After the rescue, the Lion Guard thanked Thurston for his help, which led Thurston to believe that he had been invited to join the Lion Guard. He excitedly announced his new status to his herd while the Lion Guard looked on in amusement. Just then, the tsetse flies reappeared, and the team decided to hang out with the zebras. Bunga, however, snacked on the flies, commenting that his teammates must really miss the zebras.[7]
Ukumbusho Tradition[]
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On the day of Ukumbusho, Makini collected yellow flowers to make paint so that she could paint the elephants for the ceremony. As the event went underway, however, a swarm of bees attacked, and the elephants fled in fear. In chasing after the elephants, the Lion Guard deduced that the bees were attracted to the elephants' yellow paint. With help from Mtoto, they sprayed dust at the paint, removing it, and the bees flew away.[8]
Sumu's assassination attempt on Simba[]
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Scar recruited Sumu the scorpion to sting Simba as part of his plan to overtake the Pride Lands. When Sumu first appeared in the volcano, Janja was afraid of him and knocked into Kiburi and Reirei in an effort to avoid the scorpion's venom. Scar then informed his allies that Sumu would take down Simba with his venom.
Sumu prepares to sting Simba.
During the Kumbuka celebration, Sumu ascended Pride Rock and climbed onto Simba's tail. He then stung Simba, which caused him to collapse. Sumu fled to the Outlands, but Ono spotted him and suspected him of being the cause of Simba's ailment. The Lion Guard chased after Sumu, but when Kion pounced on him, he escaped down a hole. Ono investigated from above and saw Sumu escape out the other end of the tunnel into the Outlands.
With the Lion Guard off his tail, Sumu returned to the volcano, where Scar praised him for his work. Scar then commanded Ushari to prepare for the Lion Guard, as he believed that they would come to the volcano to fetch ash, a cure for Simba's ailment. Confused, Sumu asked why Scar would want the Lion Guard to come to the volcano, and Scar answered that he was setting a trap.[9]
Misunderstanding over snails[]
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As the Lion Guard journeyed through the marsh, Bunga snacked on snails, which led to the local mongooses attacking him in rage. After the misunderstanding was cleared, Bunga stopped eating snails, and the mongooses feasted on snails that were uncovered from beneath a log.[10]
Field of grubs[]
Kovu and Kiara stumbled upon Timon and Pumbaa on a hillside, attempting to chase off a flock of birds. They explained that some birds had started eating the grubs in the field and tried to chase them away, to no avail. Eventually, Timon turned to the lions for help, and they both roared to scare the birds away.[3]
Bunga and Binga's grub-eating contest[]
| “ | Binga: Bug-eating contest, Bunga? Bunga: You're on, Binga! |
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At the Tree of Life, Bunga snacked on grubs at the water hole. While Fuli was annoyed by his loud chewing, Baliyo commented that Bunga was rather quiet for a honey badger. He then revealed that he was friends with another honey badger named Binga. Intrigued by the prospect of meeting a fellow honey badger, Bunga had Baliyo introduce him to Binga, and they swiftly became friends. The two engaged in a grub-eating contest, which Binga narrowly won.[11]
Physical characteristics[]
Grubs consist of many sub-species. Depending on type, they may bear hard shells, wings, or pincers. Some grubs are distinguished by spots, stripes,[3] or even color, as is the case with Utamu grubs.[4]
Sociocultural characteristics[]
Most grubs live in dark spaces, such as the insides of logs or termite mounds.[3] Some species live together in mixed groups, as is observed in Hakuna Matata.[1] Other grubs, such as Utamu, remain with their own species and only emerge at certain times of the year. Grubs do not appear to be sentient and are seen as a source of food by other species.[1][3][3]
Notable sub-species of grubs[]
Notable grubs[]
Appearances[]
References[]
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