Bulbmin

Bulbmin are a parasitic species of Pikmin that have infected a Bulborb and taken control of it. They can be found wandering the floors of certain caves and behave much like the Spotty Bulbear, patrolling an established path in search of food. The cave with the greatest number of Bulbmin is the Submerged Castle. Mature Bulbmin, acting as a Captain, can be followed by 10 or fewer juvenile Bulbmin. Since wild juveniles count towards the 100-Pikmin limit, exactly how many there are depends on whether or not the player has 10 available spaces. After defeating a mature Bulbmin, the smaller ones go into a panic. They are not dangerous, but whistling at them will instantly bring them into line under the captain's command, and they become part of his Pikmin swarm. They have average capabilities in terms of mobility and strength, but are immune to all hazards (fire, water, electricity, and poison), excluding explosions. As beneficial as their abilities may seem, they cannot leave the caves with Olimar, and will not count towards the overall Pikmin count. This makes them ideal for use in Candypop Buds

The only way that Bulbmin can be killed if they are not under a captain's command and a Cannon Beetle flattens them, or they fall over the side of a level into the abyss when shaken by an enemy attack or explosion or other sufficient force. Bulbmin ghosts look like enemy ghosts, not pikmin ghosts.

There is some debate over what Bulbmin inside Bulborbs actually look like. Some argue that since they appear as green dots on the map, and since their leaves glow green when idle, that they themselves are green. Others suggest that Bulbmin are orange given the color of the tip of their stem, as well as the color of the conical aiming cursor when a Bulbmin is in hand and the color of the trail they produce when thrown. It could be possible that these parasitic Pikmin have onions