Giant ant (Fallout: New Vegas)

Giant ants are mutated insects found in the Mojave Wasteland in 2281.
==Background==
Research conducted by Enclave scientists in the Capital Wasteland identified these enlarged mutated arthropod insects as belonging to the Formicidae family, genus Camponotus, most likely black carpenter ants, though the sheer number of members in said genus makes a precise identification difficult.Enclave field research terminal entries; Enclave field research terminal, Field Entry: Giant Ant Other scientists like Mackay of Vault 101 theorize the species' mutation and gigantification comes from the effects of extended exposure to radiation.Vault 101 terminal entries; overseer's terminal, Report 2241-02-10
==Characteristics==
===Biology===
Giant ants are large insects protected by a yellow-brown carapace. They have large mandibles which are used to both hunt and protect themselves. Their long antennae sprout out of the head act like sensors, allowing them to take in more information about their immediate environment.
===Gameplay attributes===
These creatures can be a bit of a problem in the early stages of the game. Hitting their antennae will count towards a critical hit and will also frenzy them. Like their east-coast brethren, they are not particularly swift, and can easily be out-walked if the player character prefers to engage them at range.
==Variants==
===Giant soldier ant===
The largest and strongest variant of the more common giant ant variants. This ant can be found accompanying smaller ants as they forage. Several can be found inside the Allied Technologies offices building.
===Giant worker ant===
The drones of the colony, responsible for labor and maintenance. What they lack in individual fortitude, they make up for with relentless attacks and swarm tactics. However, a worker ant's exoskeleton is not particularly hard compared to radscorpions. Their mandibles can cut through most leather and plastic with ease, even snapping bone on a lucky shot.
Giant worker ants can usually be found in barren stretches of desert in the Mojave, such as the Ivanpah race track and the Ivanpah Dry Lake. They usually walk around in groups, presumably looking for food.
===Giant ant queen===
The giant ant queen (or fire ant queen) is the largest creature in the Mojave Wasteland. Only one giant ant queen appears in Fallout: New Vegas, located in the ant mound south of the Allied Technologies offices and Camp McCarran, or north-west of REPCONN headquarters.
==Related quests==
* Ant Misbehavin'
* Can You Find it in Your Heart?
==Notes==
* The ants at the Nellis array will explode when shot with energy weapons or explosives, due to their consumption of powder-based munitions.
* One can observe giant ants walking in lines, a behavior shared with real-world worker ants.
* The ant queen found in Fallout: New Vegas is much less durable than her Fallout 3 counterparts.
* When near the Virgin Fork campground, Follows-Chalk says giant ants are called "picnic-killers," but cannot explain why or where the name came from, only guessing that it was from the pre-War "back when".Follows-Chalk: "Look sharp, lots of giant ants around here. We call 'em picnic-killers. Don't really know what that means. Something from Back When, I guess."(Follows-Chalk's dialogue)
==Appearances==
Giant ants appear .
==Bugs==
* Sometimes, giant ants cannot be harmed by unarmed attacks or explosives.
* Giant ant queens are meant to carry both ant queen pheromones and a variable amount of ant eggs, but due to a missing property in their "death items" list, there is only a very small percentage chance of one or the other being found.
==Sounds==
==Gallery==
Giant ant CA2.jpg
Antstory.jpg|Fallout 3 giant ant concept art
F03 Giant Ant Concept Art 01.jpg
F03 Giant Ant Concept Art 02.jpg
Giant ant CA1.jpg
Giant ant CA2.jpg
==See also==
* Fire ant
==References==
Category:Fallout: New Vegas creatures
de:Riesenameise (Fallout: New Vegas)
pt-br:Giant ant (Fallout: New Vegas)
ru:Гигантский муравей (Fallout: New Vegas)
uk:Гігантська мураха (Fallout: New Vegas)