can wild wirebugs be trained? or do they have to be trained from babies to be useable?

[CRASH, BLAM, THUD]

I'll take this one!!! Wirebugs are kind of my thing! ... Ah? Fuck, I knocked over something of Hamon's, he's going to give me an earful...

But, anyway! Wild Wirebugs can be trained, but it takes a lot more time and effort for them to be usable in the field that way. Since Kamura has a booming breeding program and plenty of trained wirebugs and hives around, it's not usually needed.

Though... I did aquire one of my personal wirebugs that way! Aki, I found her hurt and missing an antenna in the Shrine Ruins. I took her home and let her rest and get back to health and now she's one of my closest partners! Because wirebugs use their antennae to steer in midair, she tends to pull to the right a bit, but over ten years of training with her means I can correct for it!

Wirebugs aren't just tools, though they are a great help in the field... they're just as much like a Palamute and Palico in that they bond to their Hunters, and perform in the field only because of that bond. Wild wirebugs are accustomed to human activity, which is why you can use them in a pinch, but they don't like it too much and will eventually escape again. But a well-loved wirebug is something irreplaceable to a Kamura Hunter!

~Kamura Hunter Fujio

we already got favorite monsters... what about LEAST favorite for everyone...?

A what now...?

~Junior Researcher Wyn

Wyn... doesn't really have a least favorite, actually. They're a Monster nerd, don't expect an answer that isn't one long string of 'BUT THEY'RE STILL SO COOL!!'

As for the rest of us: personally, I hate Barroth and Alumudron. Getting all muddy is NOT my thing, trying to clean armor afterwards is a NIGHTMARE, what with all the little nooks and crannies... Sera's is Rathalos. She thinks they look too smug, flying around acting all high 'n mighty. Shen particularly hates Plesioth, though its because he always gets hip-checked on land and he says they're just creepy underwater. Wendell thinks Teostra are big bullies, and as such he can and will fight them whenever possible, though he also feels the same way about Valstrax... Surprisingly, Mana isn't a big fan of Mizutsune, she says they're stuck up snobs and their Bubblefoam slides her around too much to aim, especially in water.

And Fujio, well... he wouldn't give me a straight answer. Just that some Monsters need to be put down. Maybe he needs a cuddle from Mr. Moofy...

~Ace Hammer Tabitha

What's the difference between kinsects and regular neopteron?

Well, to put it simply... nothing! Kinsects are domesticated Neopterons, which is possible because they're swarm insects! The pheromone shot out of a Glaive is emitted only by Kinsect species. Like Altaroth, they rely on scent trails to get around and hunt for food. When an Insect Glaive user chooses a Kinsect, it takes lots of training with the pheromone and a specialized device in each Glaive that is custom-made to the Hunter, which emits tones that tells a Kinsect what to do. The bond between a Kinsect and Hunter is strong, and most become life-long partners on the hunt!

~Junior Researcher Wyn

Wyn! What's your favorite Monster? And everyone else's??

Oh, hello there! How kind of you to ask, though that's a bit tough to me... there's so many good ones! Like Kecha Wacha, with their cute little noses and playful smiles! Or Seltas Queen, a beautiful and powerful empress, and her loyal knights, Seltas... Ooh! Ooh! And there's Mizutsune with their bubbly dances, even though I always slip in their Bubblefoam, not to mention Tobi-Kadachi's little lizard snores when they're put to sleep, and that doesn't even TOUCH Elder Dragons......

~Junior Researcher Wyn

... It seems one of 'em got Wyn talking about their favorite Monsters again... I'll field our favorites for them. Personally, I like Tetsucabra, they put up a good fight, and they have a certain dignity to them. Shen's is Ludroths (he and Tabitha call them Luddies...), Tabitha's are Yian Kut-Ku because they're pink... Wendell's is, of course, Mizutsune. Fujio can't decide between Teostra or Kushala Daora (even though he's never fought either of them...), while Mana said, and I quote, "Good ole Arzuros. The way they eat reminds me of my late husband... and my son, too, I guess! Haha!" ... Gotta ask her about that one day.

~Ace Hunter Sera

can you tame large monsters?

Short answer: If you value limbs, no.

Long answer: While some species of what the Guild classifies as 'Large Monsters' can be tamed, it is strongly discouraged by the Guild to try doing it yourself without any prior experience. Those who use trained large Monsters, such as Guild Master Hojo from Kamura, have extensive field experience and are especially competent as Hunters. Most have been present at the birth/hatching of said Monster as well, to allow it to imprint to them, and have spent countless hours engaging with them. The Guild cautions against trying to tame wild Large Monsters, as many accidents resulting in the loss of lives can be attributed to that very action. Only Guild-certified researchers, Hunters, and associates should attempt to tame Large Monsters, and even then it is a risky business.

That being said... I want my own Tobi-Kadachi. Their fur is so soft, I bet they'd make such a warm sleeping buddy!

~Junior Researcher Wyn

I heard a rumor once that Mizutsune partner for life... is that true?

Yes, actually, although they're primarily solitary monsters until breeding season!

It wasn't until researchers started tagging and releasing Mizutsune that they were able to figure out a Mizutsune's mate will travel miles across other monster territories in order to find it's way back to it's partner during a breeding season. From there, they engage in rather playful and affectionate Courtship rituals, such as grooming each other with their respective Bubblefoam and participating in a nightly "dance" in their territories.

Fun fact: each Mizutsune can differentiate between another by the scent of their Bubblefoam! So during whelping season, they coat their nests in the slippery substance, and when the kit is born, it will immediately imprint on the scent of their parents. Though typically solitary, a mated pair will raise a litter (usually between 1-2 kits, very rarely will they have 3, and often only 1 kit will survive into adulthood) together, sharing parental responsibilities between the male and female. After the kit is old enough to hunt and survive on it's own (usually within a year or so of birth), the bonded pair will part ways until next breeding season.

In some cultures, it's customary to give Mizutsune scales as a marriage vow.

~Junior Researcher Wyn

What do Konchu eat?? I'm thinking of raising them...

Hello there! Konchu, like many Neopterons, are obligate omnivores. They'll eat most anything they can get in their mouths, including decaying leaf litter, scavenged monster meat, and are even known to be cannibals when food is scarce! Because of this, it's recommended to separate any Konchu eggs from your adult Konchu, as they will eat the eggs before they hatch, and even the babies once they do hatch!

Nevertheless, Konchu are relatively easy to breed and keep, as leaf litter is their main sustenance. Their enclosures don't need to be huge, but relatively spacious depending on how many you keep so they can get enough exercise, they're a lot more active than your typical Neopteron. The only issue with keeping them is making sure they don't dig out of their enclosure, which can be remedied by having it a bit off the ground.

Best of luck to you, Konchu farmer!

~ Junior Researcher Wyn

Let the questions begin!

From the courtship rituals of Rathian and Rathalos, to the migration route of the great Elder Dragon Ceadeus, all your queries will be answered swiftly by me, junior researcher Wyn, or one of my companion Hunters! You can directly ask one of us, or just ask in general.

Want to know the diet of a Tobi-Kadachi? Invasive species of the Flooded Forest? How best to take down a Tidal Najarala? All and more awaits at the click of an ask! Check the FAQ here!