The Invid, from the Robotech universe (originally a TV cartoon series by Harmony Gold in the mid '80s), Are the source of all the excitement. The whole series is basically their fault, as they 1st had The flower of life. A plant of amazing properties
A slug like, slow, seemingly introspective race, The Invid spent most of their time, eating The flower, snoozing, and thinking grand thoughts. The hive type society was lead by a King and Queen who would oversee anything that actually had to be done.
The Invid King had (yes he eventually dies) a strange fascination with 'de-evolving' which lead him to be even more slug like than the rest of his race, whilst the Queen was more lofty and aloof. This lead Zor, a basic humanoid, to be able to 'seduce' the Queen (although it is never actually said, it is alluded to frequently that this was sexual in nature *ewk*), and she transformed into a more humanoid form. She gave the secret of The Flower to Zor, Who then formed the Protoculture Matrix. This was inturn used to make his race the Robotech Masters.
The Robotech masters took most of The Flowers from the Invid, and then bombed the bejesus out the homeworld. Sending the Invid into an inflamed rage, forcing them into an ugly, angry mob, and the Robotech Masters/Invid war began.
After Zor had sent the
SDF-1 to earth, the Invid traced
protoculture there, and led by their Queen, followed. They arrived 20ish Years after the
Robotech Masters/
Zendradi invasion, a time when earth was at it's weakest. The Invid then set about ravaging the Earth, and destroying everything human. This is the time of the
Southern Cross Forces whose key figures are the Sons and Daughters of the original group who beat off the Robotech masters.
The discovery that The Flower of life happily grows on earth (surprise surprise) sets the Invid to growing huge crops of the plant, and harvesting it.
The whole story comes to a triumphant end when the Invid Queen realises that given enough Flower of Life, she can transform her race "to the next level". This is finally achieved, and the Invid Fly into the sky in a golden yellow light, shaped like a phoenix, which then disappears. On the way out ALL protoculture, is removed from everything originally powered by the SDF-1, (Primarily everything) leaving the humans, and other races, around the galaxy short on power and protoculture.
Having obtained the 'next level' the Invids happened to tear a hole in the fabric of space/time, which only The sentinels in the SDF-3, can repair.
Unsurprisingly they do, and everybody lives happily ever after...