Cankers are small, flying Swarm creatures introduced in Gears of War 4. They appear as little more than luminescent balls of flesh with a reddish carapace and pointed tail. Much like the Nemacyst used by the Locust, Cankers act as living ordnance for the Swarm. They are grown within the bodies of Carriers and Hive Beasts which will launch them towards targets. The Cankers then explode upon impact, destroying themselves and their targets. Carriers and Hive Beasts can quickly spawn new Cankers to unleash upon enemies and there seems to be no limit to the number they can produce. However, Cankers are physically weak and can be easily destroyed with any firearm.