Fire Ant

Information
Common name	Red imported fire ant
Scientific name	Solenopsis invicta
Environment	Swamp
Castes	Queen Worker Soldier
Traits	Floating bridge Damage buff Resistance buff Speed buff Aquatic
Playable colony	Yes

Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are playable in story levels, extra levels and custom games.

Abilities

Fire ants use basic attack by biting. They can sting.

Fire ants don't use basic attack while mounting. They latch on and sting instead.

Each brood tile can hold 2 fire ant soldiers at level 3, but it can only incubate one ant at a time. You must choose either pervasive or vigorous soldiers before playing a mission.

• Pervasive soldiers can be spawned without requiring food if they have been incubated for 90 seconds. Affected tiles have yellow glitter.

• Vigorous soldiers are enhanced after they are spawned. Affected ants have orange trail.

You can unlock adaptations for fire ant soldiers using Royal Jelly in the main story.

Bridge building

Fire ants can move across open water by building floating bridges using their own bodies. They can only be built at designated notches on the ground near the water's edge. You must place pheromone markers anywhere on the further bank to make a bridge. Fire ants in the respective pheromone groups will automatically build bridges to get there if it is the shortest path. It takes fewer ants to build a bridge if they are larger.

You can place pheromone markers anywhere on the nearer bank to disassemble a bridge. Fire ants from the respective pheromone groups will move away from the bridge and to the new locations. The respective bridge won't be disassembled if there is still a pheromone marker on the further bank.

Bridges will be disassembled when water level changes. Ants will be washed away if they are caught in the water. Ants will find other ways to reach their destinations if they manage to land on the ground. Ants will panic and become dead if they are trapped on the further banks.

Bridges will be disassembled if any building ants become dead. Ants will remain calm and build new bridges on their way back from the further banks.

Fire ant soldiers in gene-thief ant colonies can also build bridges.

Appearances

You can play as a fire ants colony in:

• Cold Blood (either)
• A Bridge Too Far (either)
• New Year's Feast (no soldier)
• The Promised Land (vigorous - no level 3)

You can play with fire ant soldiers in:

• The Final Experiment (either)
• The REAL Final Experiment (either)
• Tug of War 2 (pervasive)

Notable stats

Fire ant queen
Common stats	Health: 500 Score: 600 Healing speed: 1
Damage modifications	Physical resistance: 50% Venom resistance: 50% Maximum taken damage: 25
Immunities	Immune to stun/ confusion/ fleeing Immune to pickup/ execution/ knockback

Fire ant worker
Common stats	Cost: 20/ 2 Health: 15/ 25/ 35 Movement speed: 300/ 340/ 380 Score: 5/ 8/ 12 Harvest amount: 15/ 15/ 15 Healing speed: 0.1/ 0.1/ 0.1 Vision radius: 400/ 400/ 400
Damage modifications	None
Immunities	None
Basic attack	Damage (physical): 0.8/ 1/ 1.2 Attack speed: 1/ 1/ 1
Sting	Damage (venom): 2/ 2.5/ 3 Cooldown: 2/ 2/ 2
Mount	Trigger: User is mounting an enemy. Damage (venom): 10/ 10/ 10 Attack speed: 1/ 1/ 1

Fire ant soldier (pervasive)
Common stats	Cost: 40/ 4 Health: 30/ 45/ 50 Movement speed: 320/ 320/ 320 Score: 7/ 10/ 11 Harvest amount: 15/ 15/ 15 Healing speed: 0.1/ 0.1/ 0.1 Vision radius: 400/ 400/ 400
Damage modifications	Venom resistance: 10%/ 10%/ 10%
Immunities	None
Basic attack	Damage (physical): 1.5/ 2/ 2.2 Attack speed: 1/ 1/ 1
Sting	Damage (venom): 7/ 10/ 11 Cooldown: 2/ 2/ 2
Mount	Damage (venom): 10/ 10/ 10 Attack speed: 1/ 1/ 1

Fire ant soldier (pervasive)
Common stats	Cost: 40/ 4 Health: 30/ 45/ 50 Movement speed: 320/ 320/ 320 Score: 7/ 10/ 11 Harvest amount: 15/ 15/ 15 Healing speed: 0.1/ 0.1/ 0.1 Vision radius: 400/ 400/ 400
Damage modifications	Venom resistance: 10%/ 10%/ 10%
Immunities	None
Basic attack	Damage (physical): 1.5/ 2/ 2.2 Attack speed: 1/ 1/ 1
Sting	Damage (venom): 7/ 10/ 11 Cooldown: 2/ 2/ 2
Mount	Damage (venom): 10/ 10/ 10 Attack speed: 1/ 1/ 1
Vigorous spawn		Stat buff Damage: + 50%/ + 50%/ + 50% Movement speed: + 40%/ + 40%/ + 40% Physical resistance: + 25%/ + 25%/ + 25% Venom resistance: + 25%/ + 25%/ + 25% Duration: 120/ 120/ 120

Trivia

• Fire ant bridges were the rewards for reaching the 2nd kickstarter stretch goal (£15000).

• In real life, fire ants can gaster-flag. The developers only let fire ants flag their gasters when they are idling to focus on their stinging gimmick.