Fire ant

Fire ants are creatures living in the Capital and in the Mojave Wasteland.
==Background==
The fire ants of the Capital Wasteland were created by a scientist named Doctor Lesko. The doctor was attempting to return giant ants to their normal size through genetic manipulation and accidentally created the fire ants. Dr. Lesko's ambition was to make the ants exponentially smaller through generations, meaning the offspring are born smaller than their parents for generations to come.The Lone Wanderer: "Okay, now how about explaining that for the slower people?"Weston Lesko: "Hmmm. Let me see. Well... You start with a generation of very large ants. You simply inject the current brood's eggs with an engineered mutagen. Then, the next generation should be smaller. Do it enough times, and you may be able to reduce them back to their once original tiny size."(Weston Lesko's dialogue) He reasons that one small tweak of an error has left the ants with a completely different mutation.Lone Wanderer: "Something isn't right. You shouldn't have gotten results like these so quickly."Weston Lesko: "Well... ummm, I may have used a few... ahem, shortcuts. Yes. I was told that the FEV works wonders when used under controlled circumstances! Apparently I was wrong, but I know my mistake. I'm certain I can get it to work!"(Weston Lesko's dialogue) Lesko further explains that the ants breathe fire by expelling flammable venom from what was their venom sacks, then igniting it with a spark made by clicking their mandibles. He calls this process "pyrosis."The Lone Wanderer: "How the heck can an ant breathe fire?"Weston Lesko: "The stimulation of the subject's evolutionary trigger by the mutagen caused a bio-defensive reaction metamorphosing the ant's venom glands. This process caused unexpected oscillations in the venom molecules at such a vast rate it produces a thermodynamic biochemical reaction. As the subject ejects the volatile solution, it becomes conflagrant due to new structures in it's maw I call its calefaction array. Amazing, isn't it?"(Weston Lesko's dialogue)The Lone Wanderer: "So, what's gone wrong?"Weston Lesko: "Well. I'm afraid I've made slight miscalculations in the mutagen. Instead of lowering their size, the brood hatched with a new biomechanism. I call their genetic abberation pyrosis; the ability to emit flame from their bodies. I may be able to correct this error, but I can't get near my equipment."(Weston Lesko's dialogue)
==Variants==
===Fire ant nest guardian===
Fire ant nest guardians are much harder to kill than any other type of fire ant. There are five of these kinds of ant protecting the queen. Doctor Lesko refers to these ants as the queen's "quintet of Nest Guardians."The Lone Wanderer: "If the Queen's your concern, why not deal with it directly?"Weston Lesko: "If she were harmed in any way, months of data would be lost. Your objective would be to eliminate what I call her quintet of Nest Guardians. Filthy little abominations!"(Weston Lesko's dialogue)
===Fire ant soldier===
Fire ant soldiers are the second-lowest ranked ant in the fire ant colony. Their job is to protect their area from intruders. They are very aggressive and will attack humans, as well as other creatures on sight.
===Fire ant warrior===
Warrior fire ants are the predominant variety of ant encountered in the Marigold Metro tunnels in the Capital Wasteland.
===Fire ant worker===
Fire ant workers are the backbone of the ant community's infrastructure. They dig tunnels and care for the eggs. However, they will attack intruders if they are threatened.
===Ant queen===
Despite the fact that the rest of the colony has gained the ability to spit fire, the queen lacks this trait, it uses a ranged acid spitting attack instead.
==Notes==
Since they breathe fire, they will ignite gas leaks that may be present in the area.
==See also==
* Giant ant
==References==
Category:Creatures
Category:Insects
de:Feuerameise
es:Hormiga de fuego
fr:Fourmi de feu
pl:Ogniste Mrówki
ru:Огненный муравей
uk:Вогненна мураха
zh:火蚁