Greater Blood Ant

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Heaven Above. Haven Below.

This content takes place in the Haven setting of Imagindarium's Creation.

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Index / Lexica / Timeline

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"Word of advice, avoid the trees that got the red shiny stuff on ‘em. My friend Erik swung at one and he got swarmed in seconds. Poor bastard…"

—Markus Leorick, lumberjack

The Greater Blood Ant, also called Great Bleeder, Red Devil, and Hell Ant, is a species of ant that dwells in forests and jungles all over Haven. They live in huge colonies far away from prying eyes, sending out scouting parties hundreds strong in search of food. They are considered to be an invasive species in many areas, largely due to their expansionist nature and habit of invading farms to steal crops and livestock.

Characteristics

Appearance

Greater Blood Ants are largely similar to many other ant species, with one of the major differences being that they are the size of a small dog. They sport striking red carapaces, with spikes on their abdomens and large, sharp mandibles. They are categorized into three types: workers, soldiers, and the queens. Workers and soldiers appear largely the same, though the latter is slightly larger with bigger mandibles. Soldier ants are also equipped with a stinger in their abdomen that they can use to inject their foes with a paralyzing venom.

Queen Greater Blood Ants tend to be around the size of a large boar, their abdomens enlarged to allow for the mass laying of eggs. While they can hold their own in a fight, they are not very mobile compared to their smaller kin. They often travel by having several worker ants carry them throughout their hives, her massive bulk hauled around her domain.

Biology

Like other species of ants, Greater Blood Ants are capable of lifting objects far larger than themselves. When enough of them work together, they can even carry objects such as boulders and entire trees. Large prey animals are also dragged away with ease, carried back to the nest after being paralyzed by the soldier ants. These prey animals are then cut apart, the workers and soldiers feeding on the larger bits while smaller pieces are taken to feed the colony’s larvae.

A Greater Blood Ant queen is capable of laying dozens of eggs per day, which are cared for by the workers in special chambers. Here they will stay for the first few months of their lives, growing bigger and bigger until they burst from their pupae as adults. A single queen is capable of laying hundreds of thousands of eggs during her lifetime, but as she ages, she will produce less and less eggs until she is finally incapable of producing any more, dying shortly afterwards.

Shortly before a Greater Blood Ant queen’s death, she produces a viscous red liquid known as Royal Blood. She then gives the Royal Blood to the largest soldier ant in the colony, which makes her grow much larger and gain the ability to lay eggs, becoming the colony’s new queen. Should a Greater Blood Ant queen die before she can produce Royal Blood, then the colony will completely disband, the individual ants scattering into the wilderness.

Behavior

Greater Blood Ants live in large colonies often containing thousands of individual ants, dwelling in hives deep underground. These hives reach deep into the earth, often containing hundreds of individual chambers. The queen rests in the deepest chamber, guarded by dozens of soldier ants and surrounded by her eggs. If one wishes to reach the queen, then they must be prepared to fight their way through thousands of her subjects.

Greater Blood Ants mark their territory by using a resin that they secrete from their mouths. They usually place the resin on large objects such as trees and boulders, covering them in shining red stripes. Should one stray too close to a marked object, then a band of ants will swarm and attack. However, they usually give warning to any potential trespassers by hissing and clicking, which scares off most who stray too close to their lands.

Greater Blood Ants communicate via a complex series of pheromones, which are secreted via glands near the mandibles. This lets the colony efficiently communicate between thousands of individuals, allowing them to coordinate large-scale migrations or invasions with ease. The queen herself carries a special pheromone that allows her to override the minds of her subjects, compelling them to carry out whatever task their queen orders them to do.

Greater Blood Ant Expansions

When a Greater Blood Ant colony grows too large, the queen will prematurely give one of her soldiers some of her Royal Blood and send her off with a band of workers and other soldiers. They will travel far and wide until they have found a suitable spot for a new nest, with the workers immediately digging deep. The queen follows them, carving out a chamber for her to rest in as well as lay her eggs. The first generation of new ants immediately begins scouting out their new home, marking their territory as they see fit.

However, sometimes a colony will establish itself too close to civilized lands, such as near a village or farm. Many farmers have lost their livelihoods to a swarm of Greater Blood Ants ravaging their fields and making off with their livestock. This causes most people to view the ants as nothing more than pests, tracking down nests and burning the ants out. Despite these efforts, new colonies are always in danger of forming, so it is only a matter of time before the next ones arrive.

Notable Greater Blood Ant Colonies

TBA