Mosquito

Based on game build 714004 | Last updated: 2026-03-06

Overview

The mosquito prefab implements a small, flying combat entity that feeds on characters to grow (visually increasing body size) and splats when overfed or successfully haunted. It uses a custom brain (mosquitobrain) for basic AI, interacts with the combat system to target and share attacks, and integrates with multiple utility components including sleeper, lootdropper, workable, and hauntable. It cannot be picked up unless alive (canbepickedupalive = true), and it plays looping buzzing sounds while idle or on the ground.

Usage example

local inst = Prefab("mosquito", mosquito, assets, prefabs)
-- Instantiate via SpawnPrefab("mosquito")
-- The prefab handles its own initialization; no manual component setup needed.

Dependencies & tags

Components used: locomotor, stackable, inventoryitem, lootdropper, tradable, workable, follower, health, combat, sleeper, knownlocations, inspectable, hauntable, feedable, burnable, freezeable

Tags added: mosquito, insect, flying, ignorewalkableplatformdrowning, smallcreature, cattoyairborne

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
drinks	number	1	Number of times the mosquito has fed; controls body size.
maxdrinks	number	TUNING.MOSQUITO_MAX_DRINKS	Maximum feedings before splatting (death).
toofat	boolean	false	Set to true when overfed and killed.
lastleader	Entity reference	nil	Stores the last leader when leadership changes occur.
sounds	table	Local sounds table	Sound keys for takeoff, attack, buzz, hit, death, and explosion.

Main functions

OnWorked(inst, worker)

• Description: Triggered when the mosquito is netted by a player. Detaches child items (if stacked), kills sounds, and gives the mosquito to the player's inventory.
• Parameters:
  • inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
  • worker (Entity) — The player who worked on the mosquito.
• Returns: Nothing.

StartBuzz(inst)

• Description: Starts the looping buzzing sound if the mosquito is held, asleep, or already buzzing, it does nothing.
• Parameters: inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
• Returns: Nothing.

StopBuzz(inst)

• Description: Stops the buzzing sound.
• Parameters: inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
• Returns: Nothing.

StoreHomePos(inst, allow_overwrite)

• Description: Records the mosquito’s current position as its "home" location via knownlocations.
• Parameters:
  • inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
  • allow_overwrite (boolean) — Whether an existing "home" location may be overwritten.
• Returns: Nothing.

OnDropped(inst)

• Description: Handles behavior when the mosquito is dropped: sets state to "idle", restarts buzzing, resets work left, and splits stack if applicable (teleports each copy to same position and stores home).
• Parameters: inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
• Returns: Nothing.

OnPickedUp(inst)

• Description: Stops buzzing and all sounds when picked up.
• Parameters: inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
• Returns: Nothing.

KillerRetarget(inst)

• Description: Custom retargeting logic: finds a valid target within 20 units that is not holding mosquito musk, is not an ally, and can be targeted by combat.
• Parameters: inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
• Returns: Entity reference to a suitable target, or nil.

SwapBelly(inst, size)

• Description: Updates the visible body part (body_N) based on how many times the mosquito has fed.
• Parameters:
  • inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
  • size (number) — The feeding count (1–4); determines which body part is shown.
• Returns: Nothing.

TakeDrink(inst, data)

• Description: Called on onattackother event: increments feed count, updates body size, and kills mosquito if overfed.
• Parameters:
  • inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
  • data (table) — Attack event data (unused beyond triggering).
• Returns: Nothing.

ShareTargetFn(dude)

• Description: Predicate used when sharing combat targets: returns true for living mosquitoes.
• Parameters: dude (Entity) — The candidate helper entity.
• Returns: true if dude is a mosquito and not dead; otherwise false.

OnAttacked(inst, data)

• Description: On receiving damage, sets attacker as target and shares the aggro with up to 10 nearby mosquitoes within ~30 units.
• Parameters:
  • inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
  • data (table) — Contains attacker (Entity).
• Returns: Nothing.

OnChangedLeader(inst, new_leader, prev_leader)

• Description: Stores new_leader in lastleader if leadership changes.
• Parameters:
  • inst (Entity) — The mosquito entity.
  • new_leader (Entity or nil) — New leader.
  • prev_leader (Entity or nil) — Previous leader.
• Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners

• Listens to:
  • onattackother — Calls TakeDrink to increment feed count.
  • attacked — Calls OnAttacked to set and share combat targets.
• Pushes:
  • detachchild — Fired when a mosquito is netted and splits from stack (via OnWorked).