July Flash Challenge, The Premise:

[kailhofer]

Just checking... Are invasive insects allowed as well?

[Lester Curtis]

Insects are animals. Since the specification is "plant or animal," though, those damnably invasive minerals are out. Too bad, really; that could go places (though not too quickly, I think). Maybe next time.

[kailhofer]

Not everybody agrees that insects are animals.
Also, if you've ever seen the amazing coordination of a colony of army ants, what they can do seems not only intelligent, but just a little scary and alien as well.

[Lester Curtis]

Not everybody agrees that insects are animals.

Such people lack education, but that can be corrected easily, and at next to no cost. And I sincerely hope that they don't willfully cling to such misunderstanding.

Moreover, Dan's sample story featured insects.

Also, if you've ever seen the amazing coordination of a colony of army ants, what they can do seems not only intelligent, but just a little scary and alien as well.

I've had ants outsmart me more than once. I watched it happen, and in one instance, it took only minutes; they responded as a small group, away from the colony.

Don't expect that out of a plant.

[Lester Curtis]

I made a perfectly good pun and no one acknowledged it.

Correction--no one encouraged it.