Vespiforms, also calledGiant Wasps, were an ancient and wiseinsectoid species, physically described asgiant wasps byDonna Noble. They had hives in theSilfrax Galaxy.

Biology[[edit] |[edit source]]

Vespiforms were a species of insectoids which resembled oversizedwasps. Adults were about threemetres tall. They were powerful creatures, with largestingers which could be regrown within hours of use.

Vespiforms could change into other species. The transformations were accompanied by a glowing, purple-pink haze and left behindmorphic residue.

When in another form, Vespiforms were genetically compatible with the mimicked species. They could interbreed with members of any other species. Any offspring would be locked in one form until put under stress, when they would turn into their Vespiform shape. (TV:The Unicorn and the Wasp)

Technology[[edit] |[edit source]]

Vespiforms hadtelepathic recorders. These devices held the essence of the Vespiform cultural heritage, and served as a sort of "instant school". The entirety of what it meant to be a Vespiform could be transferred from the recorder to the mind in a matter of seconds. The device also transferred the thoughts of any being in very close proximity to it as well. Were the thoughts of a non-Vespiform to blend with the information contained in the recorder, the results could be unpredictable. (TV:The Unicorn and the Wasp)

History[[edit] |[edit source]]

Some time prior toEarth's19th century, the Vespiforms developed intergalactic space travel. This allowed at least one of the species to travel from the Silfrax Galaxy toMutter's Spiral. At least one Vespiform went toEarth. (WC:Monster File: Vespiform)

In1885, a Vespiform (simply known asChristopher) came toEarth to studyhumankind, then he metClemency Eddison inIndia and had an illegitimate child with her. He gave her a large,purplecrystal set in anecklace, which she called "theFirestone". When he soon thereafter drowned during a monsoon, the Firestone became her only memory of him, and she wore it often.

Some months later, Clemency gave up their baby for adoption; the mores of the time frowned on unwed parents who conceived out of wedlock. The child became a reverend,Arnold Golightly, a vicar in the parish that included the Eddison's estate. At the age of forty in1926, he discovered his Vespiform nature. Because of his proximity to the Firestone — in reality a Vespiform telepathic recorder — his Vespiform cultural heritage was transferred to him from the device. The transfer also included some of its wearer's thoughts. Lady Eddison was reading anAgatha Christienovel at the time of the transfer, so Golightly absorbed some of the aspects of the characters in the novel. Golightly started committing various murders in the style of an Agatha Christie novel. TheTenth Doctor,Donna Noble and Agatha Christie herself investigated his crimes, and forced Golightly to publicly reveal his Vespiform nature. Ultimately, Donna killed him by throwing the Firestone into the lake. Golightly followed and drowned, but relieved Agatha of his connection with her in his dying moment. This caused the confusion and amnesia that marked the author's famous disappearance . (TV:The Unicorn and the Wasp)

Long after the events atEddison Manor, the Firestone was dredged up from the lake and sold at auction toJack Harkness. In the21st century, he claimed to be in possession of the only Vespiform telepathic recorder known to exist on Earth.

Jack Harkness had heard whispers of awar between Quark rebels and Vespiforms, but he could not confirm these stories. (WC:Monster File: Vespiform) Notably, the Quarks once attempted to useGiant Wasps to attack theSecond Doctor andJamie McCrimmon onGano, but the creatures attacked the Quarks instead. However, according to that account, the wasps employed by the Quarks were the size of averageEarth wasps, and weremutated by the Quarks. (COMIC:The Killer Wasps)

References[[edit] |[edit source]]

When Donna started to remember her adventures with the Doctor, one of the many creatures she saw was the Vespiform. She asked hergrandfather why she could she see a "giant wasp". (TV:The End of Time)

River Song once spent aweekend with a Vespiform namedRoderick. (PROSE:Suspicious Minds)

TheThirteenth Doctor recalled her meeting with the Vespiform whenYasmin Khan mentioned "poking a stick in the wasps' nest", remarking, "Did I ever tell you about me andAgatha Christie?" (TV:Kerblam!)

Behind the scenes[[edit] |[edit source]]

• According toThe Brilliant Book 2012, a book that containsnon-narrative based information,Amy Pond andRory Williams might have encountered some Vespiform in theGardens of Zul-Thep in the year3104. (REF:The Brilliant Book 2012)
• Russell T Davies' original concept for theShadow Proclamation scene inThe Stolen Earth included an appearance by several buzzing Vespiform, but his plans to feature a "rogues gallery" of alien races in the scene fell through; ultimately theJudoon were the only returning race featured.
• The Vespiforms were not the first species of giant alien wasps introduced in theDWU: theSecond Doctor storyThe Killer Wasps had previously introduced the somewhat different-lookingGiant Wasps.WC:Monster File: Vespiform noted the existence of rumours about the Vespiforms' history that matched that which was depicted inThe Killer Wasps, although this was merely an in-joke and should not be taken too seriously, as said comic story actually depicted normal wasps grown to enormous size by the Quarks, rather than naturally giant wasps. If an in-universe explanation for this must be sought, it could simply be said that the rumour was mistaken.