Insect Ward

(See also: Murdock's Insect Ward (Magical Liquid))

The druid casts insect ward on special foci of the spell, a pair of rune-carved wooden stakes. The druid then plants one stake in the ground, walks up to 100 feet per level away, and plants the other stake. The spell forms an invisible, 30-foot-high barrier extending between the stakes along the path the druid walked. The barrier is 99% likely to cause a normal insect encountering it to turn and go in the opposite direction. If one or several barriers join to completely enclose an area, affected insects depart the area as well. Those insects trapped in the area become lethargic and slowly die off. While the spell remains, the warded area has only 1% of its normal insect population, which will affect the area's ecosystem as insects form a large portion of many creatures' diets. Details of this are left to the DM.

By means of the runes carved into the stakes, the druid determines what types of insects the spell excludes. This can be specific (for example, only mosquitoes and aphids) or general (for example, all plant-caters, or all blood-drinkers). Giant insects are unaffected, as are magically summoned or controlled insects. The stakes radiate magic until the spell ends. If either stake is removed from the ground, even for a moment, the spell is broken.