Kunchong

The kunchong are enormous insects that are part of the mantid race. They are massive, violent, and without a question the biggest threat to the pandaren of the Townlong Steppes. Only Niuzao stands a chance against them, and possibly powerful adventurers.

Background
The cycle of mantid birthing and building revolves around the kunchong, a colossal insect large enough to threaten whole towns by itself. The mantid revere this enormous creature, and when instinct compels it to stampede throughout the continent, eating earth, trees, and lakes, they follow behind, collecting the amber-colored resin it secretes, birthing their young and creating their homes in its wake. If other races' homes are trampled by the kunchong, it is of little consequence to the mantid. Where the kunchong's shadow falls, they walk. Where they walk, the land is transformed. Even at a young age the kunchong are lethal.

Before Kaz'tik the Manipulator's discovery of their intelligence, the kunchong were used as weapons with little regard for their intelligence. The mantid struggled to control them until it occurred to Kaz'tik that they didn't fully understand the kunchong. By forming a bond with the creatures the mantid no longer needed to exert control forcefully. Instead, a partnership occurred.

Though amber in color, many of the more mundane pieces of manid furniture are actually made from kunchong secretions.

Kunchong feed on mushan. The powerful jaws of Karanosh, the kunchong matriarch, have reduced countless mushan beasts to pulp for her hatchlings. At least one kunchong, Kovok, prefers a steady diet of "brain food:" mushan brains, human brains, any brains really. This strange nutritional requirement may be tangentially related to his enormous head.

As a companion pet

 * Kovok (companion) is a rare drop from the Paragons of the Klaxxi in Siege of Orgrimmar.
 * Kunchong Hatchling is a rare drop from Island expeditions.
 * Spawn of Garalon is a rare drop from Garalon in Heart of Fear.

As a hunter pet
Starting in patch 9.0.1, kunchong are tamable by hunters as part of the aqiri family.

Trivia

 * Kunchong (昆蟲, kūnchóng) is Chinese for "insect."
 * The kunchong share the skeleton and animations of silithid colossi.