Giant Ant

The Giant Ant (Solenopsis invicta giganta) is a genetically-mutated species of ant originally created by the Paramilitary Instigators of Secular Society as part of their terrorist campaign against the government of Bettia. They appear to be enlarged versions of the Fire Ant, and are now found mainly within Northern Bettia, with a smaller colony located in the Banastra rainforest.

Appearance

The bodies of giant ants, like all insects' bodies, are broken up into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen, with three pairs of legs and a pair of antennae. Giant ants have a copper brown head and body with a darker abdomen, and are generally around 2.5 to 3 metres in length, standing around 2 metres high.

Behaviour

A typical giant ant colony produces large mounds in open areas, and feeds mostly on plants, especially sugar cane, which is grown in plentiful quantities by the people of Northern Bettia.

Giant ants nest in the soil, where they construct giant networks of underground passages and chambers. These can be distinguished above ground by large, shallow mounds of displaced soil. A single nest can reach deep, with the largest nest reaching almost nine miles deeps and having some tunnels with a total length well in excess of forty miles. The Queen's chamber is usually located deep within the nest, in an easily defendable location.

As with many other ant species, communication is by means of touch (via their antennae) and by easily-audible clicking sounds. It has been found that this may be translated into English, and therefore enabling two-way communication between ant and human.

Roles

Queens

The Queen is a fertile female. Each nest generally has a single Queen, which is usually the largest individual in the colony. The primary function of the queen is reproduction; she may live for 6-7 years and produce up to 1500 eggs per day. However, giant ant colonies will have more than one queen (potentially over 100, if studies of normal Fire Ants are anything to go by).

Males

The male ant's only function is to mate with the queen and continue the species with his genes. Once mated, the males continue on with their search for another queen. Male ants are the smallest in the colony, usually half the size of their female counterparts.

Workers

The workers are sterile females who build and repair the nest and tunnels, care for the young, forage for food, and feed both young and adult ants. They are distinguishable by their large scoop-shaped jaws which may be used for digging and cutting, as well as defending against any intruders in the nest.

Soldiers

Like the Workers, the Soldiers are also sterile females. Their sole natural function is to defend their nest, which they do by means of their powerful jaws and potent sting. The sting injects an alkaline venom which gives a highly painful burning sensation - due to the large quantity delivered by a single sting, this brings about death very quickly.