Vulture Grub

Vulture Grubs, sometimes known as Banana Slugs, are small, worm-like creatures found in tunnels and caves close to the surface. They appear to have some mechanical or engineered components similar to King Vultures. Despite this, King Vultures will still attempt to shoot grubs with their tusks.

Vulture Grubs, if alive, will attempt to summon a Vulture if they are thrown. Vulture Grubs will do this by making a beeping noise and emitting a yellow laser towards the sky, acting as a beacon for Vultures. If done underground, the laser will turn red and no Vultures will appear. If done outdoors in an area with potential Vulture spawns, the laser will turn green and a single Vulture will swoop down and attack any nearby creatures. More Vultures can be summoned by repeatedly picking up and throwing the grub, up to a certain limit per cycle.

When dead, vulture grubs are darker, shriveled, and have no effect when thrown. Dead grubs can be eaten to restore one pip of food; living grubs cannot be eaten, but can be killed with a spear to make them edible.

Both living and dead Vulture Grubs can be found naturally. If killed, Vulture Grubs will respawn after about 4 to 5 cycles.

Trivia

 * Vultures will pick up and carry off Vulture Grubs if there are no other targets. This may be interpreted as the Vulture carrying the grub to safety, but King Vultures will harpoon the grubs first, obviously killing them. Whether this is intended behavior or an oversight in development is unclear.
 * A tactic used by some speedrunners playing the Hunter, known as "Vulture cheese," involves using a Vulture Grub to easily inflate the player's score. If a grub is thrown near an active Echo, Vultures will appear but be completely immobilized by the effect of the Echo, rendering them harmless, flightless, and easy to kill.