What are your thoughts on normally venomous creatures, but their toxins instead are hypnotic/transformative/generally not hazardous in a normal way?
Certainly in favor of it! I think the semiotics of bugs in particular in relation to power dynamics is interesting because even when you're dealing with giant or anthropomorphic ones, you still don't necessarily view them as the overt predator in the situation, it almost feels weird to make them an aggressive dominant force, but something less perceptible, the slow shifting of power as the venom's effects take hold, whatever they may be for any given scenario. Breaking down a willful victim or finding a willing subject, there's always going to be some kind of shift in roles that goes along with the transformation or mind control or whatever, and that can be very good.