Quote: Swamp

This page contains the narrations of fire ant missions.

## **Cold Blood**

**Mission begins**:

* This *Solenopsis invicta* fire ant queen has landed on the edge of a swamp. She may be far from her native habitat, but the fire ants are well known for their ability to adapt. Competition for food will be fierce, she will need to raise an army quickly to compete with the local predators.

**You dig to the surface**:

* The colony lies in the shadow of a great titan to the north, an American bullfrog. This large female has found its perfect spot to feed. Sheltered by foliage, and in the path of many wandering insects and smaller amphibians, she has no reason to move on. Eventually, she will need to be displaced, but for now the fire ants have more pressing business to attend to.

**You have played for 60 seconds after digging to the surface**:

* The boggy soil surrounding the nest is lacking in nitrogen and phosphorus, nutrients vital for plants to photosynthesise and grow. To survive in this environment, some have evolved to supplement their mineral diet by trapping and dissolving invertebrate prey.

**You have played for 2 minutes 30 seconds after digging to the surface**:

* A small colony of *Pheidole morrisii* big-headed ants have established themselves on a hill to the west. Scavenging for seeds, aphids and dead insects, they are unlikely to pose a threat to the *invicta* colony if left undisturbed.

**You upgrade a soldier to level 3 for the 1st time**:

* Even in small numbers, the fire ants are menacing, but in large numbers, they are virtually unstopable.

**You build a bridge for the 1st time**:

* By linking themselves together, the fire ants have formed a pontoon out of their bodies. It stretches from their home territory to a previously unreachable island, giving them access to new sources of food.

**Day is over** *(loop)*:

* As the sun sets, the local amphibians begin to emerge from moist crevices near the water’s edge. Lone invertebrates will be picked off quickly, the ants should travel in numbers or not at all.

* Once again, dusk sets in over the swamp. Soon the sandy undergrowth will be teeming with salamanders, toads and nocturnal beetles.

* Night approaches and the predators of the day give way to their nocturnal counterparts. As they encroach on colony territory, battle must be chosen wisely. Spread too thin, the fire ants could find themselves overwhelmed.

**Night is over** *(loop)*:

* Dawn breaks, and the salamanders and toads retire to their damp alcove to wait out the sun. Only the great bullfrog remains. She sits patiently on her throne, waiting for the next meal to wander by.

* For the swamp amphibians, the nighttime feast is over. Toads give way to tiger beetles and the ant colonies step up their activities. If the fire ants are to stand any chance of establishing a long-lasting empire, they must grow quickly.

* Staving off another night of attacks, the *invicta* colony once again proves its strength. Despite this victory, there is yet one obstacle that stands in its way. Ever-present, the bullfrog looms over the ants. The beast must be defeated.

**You dig out a larval checkered beetle for the 1st time**:

* The ants have uncovered a group of hungry checkered beetle larvae. The soft grubs may look defenseless, but they have big jaws and appetites to match.

**You encounter an adult checkered beetle for the 1st time**:

* A fully developed checkered beetle, *Enoclerus rosmarus*, has been disturbed by the ants. It has the same ravenous appetite and slicing jaws as its juvenile counterpart, but now paired with thick armor plates. It represents a far greater danger to the colony.

**Narrow-mouthed toads appear underground for the 1st time**:

* At night, narrow-mouthed toads patrol above ground looking for food. Ants make up 75 % of their diet, so the small colony must stay alert. To make matters worse, they are excellent diggers. It’s only a matter of time before one tunnels its way into the nest.

**You encounter a narrow-mouthed toad for the 1st time**:

* A narrow-mouthed toad has burrowed into the nest. It may be small for a toad, but its appetite for ants is insatiable. Secretions from its skin burn any that manage to escape its projectile tongue.

**You encounter a milkweed plant for the 1st time**:

* Many of the milkweed plants growing nearby are infested with aphids. Their honeydew excretions present an ideal energy-rich food source for the fire ants. Aphids far from the nest are vulnerable however, and are sometimes relocated closer to home where they can be better protected from predators and thieves.

**You encounter a magnolia sapling for the 1st time**:

* Defenseless catepillars exposed on the underside of leaves are welcome snack for the passing fire ants. The colony should take advantage while it can, few meals surrender so willingly.

**You encounter a Venus flytrap for the 1st time**:

* A curious ant has venture onto a Venus flytrap in search of nectar. If it brushes against the hair on the open red-tinged leaves, they will snap shut, encasing the ant in an ever-tightening cell. There is no escape, the prisoner will be slowly digested until nothing more than a husk remains.

**You encounter a pitcher plant for the 1st time**:

* The ants have been attracted to secretions of nectar produced by a yellow pitcher plant. In order to feed, however, the ants must position themselves precariously over a deep vat of digesting liquid. Waxy deposits on the rim ensure that any ant that steps too far in won’t be stepping out again.

**Carnivorous plants kill your ants**:

* An ant has fallen victim to a carnivorous plant.

**You encounter a wasp mantidfly for the 1st time**:

* A wasp mantidfly, *Climaciella brunnea*, has descended from her perch into the path of the ants. Unrelated to true mantids, her spiked raptorial forelegs are a perfect example of convergent evolution.

**You encounter a green lynx spider on the ground for the 1st time**:

* The ants have set upon a green lynx spider, *Peucetia viridans*. She prefers to hunt on pitcher plants, but out in the open she loses her advantage. Far from defenseless, however, when threatened she can spit venom up to 30cm from her fangs.

**You encounter a green lynx spider on a pitcher plant for the 1st time**:

* *Peucetia viridans*, the green lynx spider, has set a trap under the lid of a yellow pitcher plant. Dangling precariously over the pitcher's corrosive soup, the lynx waits patiently. Time after time, insects attracted by the scent of nectar conviniently present themselves at her feet.

**You encounter a six-spotted tiger beetle for the 1st time**:

* A six-spotted tiger beetle, *Cicindella sexguttata*, is on the move near the nest. Its metallic green elytra makes it unmistakable. And like its other tiger beetle cousins, long legs give it the speed to chase down small arthropods with ease.

**You encounter a magnolia green jumper for the 1st time**:

* A magnolia green jumper, *Lyssomanes viridis*, has ambushed a fire ant. It prefers to hunt on foliage where it is less likely to be spotted by predators and prey alike. Out on the ground, it’s more vulnerable, but that won’t stop it from snacking om lone ants far from the safety of the nest.

**You encounter a red velvet ant for the 1st time**:

* A wingless parasitic wasp, *Dasymutilla occidentalis*, more commonly known as the red velvet ant has wandered into *invicta* territory. Although not on the hunt for fire ants, it will defend itself if threatened. Armed with extremely powerful sting and displaying bright warning stripes, most creatures give it a wide berth.

**Bombardier beetles appear on the surface for the 1st time**:

* A bombardier beetle, *Brachinus altenans*, is hunting for insects outside the nest. It may seem unwise for it to wander so freely among the large amphibians that share the swamp at night, but they would do well to leave it alone. This beetle is a master of chemical warfare.

**You encounter a bombardier beetle for the 1st time**:

* The ants have clashed with a bombardier beetle. Feeling threatened, the beetle mixes a cocktail of chemicals that react together, boil and explode from a valve at the base of its abdomen.

**You encounter a dwarf salamander for the 1st time**:

* An ant has been devoured by *Eyrycea quadridigitata*, a dwarf salamander. It is nimble, fast and slender enough to wiggle through tight crevices in search of food.

**You encounter a false bombardier beetle for the 1st time**:

* A false bombardier beetle, *Galerita bicolor*, is also on the prowl for small prey tonight. It impersonates the true bombardier to ward of potential predators, and its mimicry isn't simply visual. It too can spray defensively from its abdomen. In this case, the fluid of choice is the familiar formic acid.

**You encounter a little black ant for the 1st time**:

* The fire ants have encountered a tribe of *Monomorium minimum* black ants. These little ants may seem feeble, but the *invicta* colony would do well to treat them with caution. Although primarily scavengers, they are armed with powerful chemical secretions, and have been known, on occasion, to invade fire ant nests.

**Little black ants are going to invade your nest**:

* The neighboring *Monomorium minimum* colony has launched an attack on the fire ant nest.

**Little black ants are going to take your aphids**:

* A raiding party of little black ants are stealing aphids! They must be chased down quickly.

**You approach the little black ant queen**:

* The *Monomorium minimum* is almost defeated, the *invicta* army must press their advantage.

**You kill the little black ant queen**:

* The little black ants fought to the last to defend their queen. Now the *invicta* colony will enjoy the spoils of war.

**You encounter a big-headed ant for the 1st time**:

* The fire ants and big-headed ants have met in their first skirmish. Sensing the new danger, the *morrisii* colony responds by awakening ancestral supersoldier genes in selected brood, feeding them until their heads are engorged with muscle.

**Big-headed ant supersoldiers appear on the surface for the 1st time**:

* The big-headed ants now have a supersoldier caste to justify their name. At huge economic cost to the colony, these frenzied champions have been raised for one purpose: to crush the fire ants.

**Big-headed ants are going to invade your nest**:

* Big-headed supersoldiers are leading a raid on the *invicta* colony.

**Big-headed ants are going to take your aphids**:

* A raiding party of big-headed ants are stealing aphids. They must be stopped.

**You kill the big-headed ant queen**:

* The *morrisii* colony has fallen, their champions spent and their queen vanquished. In the end, they could not stand up to the might of the *invicta* army.

**You attack the bullfrog for the 1st time**:

* The fire ants have mounted their first attack upon the great American bullfrog, *Lithobates catesbeianus*. The brave frontline soldiers are quickly crushed and eaten. They must surround and swarm the enormous creature to stand any chance of defeating it.

**The bullfrog loses half of its health**:

* Again and again soldiers clamps onto the bullfrog leathery skin and inject solenopsis venom, but the beast shows no signs of wavering. The fire ants must maintain their resolve.

**You attack the bullfrog again after retreating for the 1st time**:

* Once again the fire ants advance upon the great bullfrog. If they do not possess the number to overwhelm the creature, this could be very costly for the colony.

**The bullfrog jumps out of the map**:

* The unrelenting waves of fire ants have finally achieved their goal. The bullfrog, sore with blisters, has hopped away. It's likely to give the *invicta* colony a wide berth from now on.

**You kill the bullfrog**:

* Overwhelmed with burning venom, the bullfrog finally succumbs to the might of the fire ants. Utterly spent, it collapses on the hill side, leaving the victors free to consume its body.

**The infesting amphibians are going to invade your nest**:

* Unbeknownst to the ants, the present of the bullfrog was keeping many other local amphibians at bay. The power vacuum it left behind is attracting a host of salamanders and frogs eager to take its place. The ants should go to ground quickly and prepare for the imminent chaos.

**You win**:

* As the anarchy above ground settles and witht he invaders crushed, a new order is established. This is now the domain of the fire ants.

**You lose**:

* The queen has fallen. Unable to amass adequate numbers to meet the perils of the swamp, her passing was almost inevitable. She should never have come here.

## **A Bridge Too Far**

**Mission begins**:

* This fire ant queen has travelled for miles on her nuptial flight, finally landing atop a sandy mound deep in the swamp. The vantage point might seem like an ideal home, but it may be short lived. This whole area is liable to flooding, and nearby rainfall is already causing the ground water to rise. Exhausted and without her wings, the queen is unable to move on alone, but if she can amass enough daughter in time, the colony as a whole may stand a chance.

**Creatures are washed up on the eastern shore for the 1st time**:

* Many nearby creatures have already been washed out of their home by the rising water. A lucky few have been deposited on the shores east of the nest. As more arrive, tensions will rise. There isn’t space here for everyone.

**You dig to the surface**:

* A great blue skimmer, *Libellula vibrans*, hunts overhead. This fantastic aerial predator shouldn’t cause any trouble for the ants, that is, unless it decides to land in their way.

**Water is going to flood the ninth layer**:

* The boggy earth at the base of the mound is now saturated and as night approaches, the water begins to creep closer. The new arrivals will rush to higher ground, heading straight for the nest. There is nowhere else to go.

**The 1st day is over**:

* The inudation has slowed, and fewer creatures are washing up to the east. The ants have an opportunity to explore for food, but there are other danger at night. Moist-skinned amphibians have come out to take advantage of this new waterworld, harvesting lost insects displaced from their burrow.

**The 1st night is over**:

* Continuous rainfall is about to bring another torrent flushing through the bog, carrying with it a slew of ill-tempered arthropods.

**Water is going to flood the 7th layer**:

* With nowhere to drain, the floodwater creeps ever nearer to the nest. Already cramped and irritated, a panic unsues, and the refugees scramble for higher ground.

**The 2nd day is over**:

* News of the insect feast has spread across the swamp. With growing number of amphibians patrolling the water, the *invicta*’s scavenging expeditions will need to be well defended.

**The 2nd night is over**:

* As the water draws ever nearer, more insects begin to wash up on the bank. The *invicta* colony must maintain control, or risk being overrun.

**Water is going to flood the 5th layer**:

* Again, the floodwater rises, the washed up ivertebrates panic and a stampede ensues. The *invicta* soldiers must form ranks quickly.

**The 3rd day is over**:

* The *Monomorium* black ant colony is soon to be flooded. This is the fire ants' last chance to raid their nest.

**The 3rd night is over**:

* The pond continues to swell, finally drowning what remains of the *Monomorium* colony. The fire ants watch as it sinks into the murky depths, foreshadowing their own demise.

**Water is going to flood the 3rd layer**:

* Another surge advances, spreading a desperate frenzy throughout the beached survivors. The *invicta* colony must leave now or prepare their last stand.

**The 4th day is over**:

* Time has run out, the *invicta* colony must gather atop the mound, they won't get another chance.

**You dig out a larval false bombardier beetle for the 1st time**:

* False bombardier beetle larvae are burrowing through the earth surrounding the nest. They are already large and will hold their ground against small groups of ants.

**You encounter a larval false bombardier beetle on the surface for the 1st time**:

* Amongst the melee of panicking creatures are larvae of the false bombardier beetles. Already large and accomplished predators, they will hold their ground against small groups of ants.

**You encounter a dwarf sundew for the 1st time**:

* An ant has found itself entangled on the sticky tentacle of a dwarf sundew. As it it tries to struggle free more tentacles are drawn in, drowning the victim in thick mucilage.

**You encounter a pine woods tree frog for the 1st time**:

* A pine woods tree frog, *Hyla femoralis*, has wandered into the trail. This one has taken a break from mate calling for a quick meal, and it seems that ants are on the menu.

**You encounter a juvenile eastern newt for the 1st time**:

* An eastern newt, *Notophthalmus viridescens*, is devouring ants. Growing up to 10 centimeters in length, it dwarfs the other creatures on the mound. Its red skin is toxic and serves as a warning to potential predators.

**Little black ant colony becomes approachable on the second night**:

* A colony of little black ants marooned on a smaller section of the mound may be reachable if the fire ants join together to bridge the gap.

**You kill the little black ant queen**:

* The little black ants have been defeated. The fire ants must pillage the nest quickly and hurry home while they still can.

**The great blue skimmer lands for the 1st time**:

* As if the colony didn’t already have enough to deal with, the great blue skimmer has chosen this moment to touch down right outside the nest. Unchecked, this titan of the sky will no doubt disrupt colony activities. But if the soldiers are able to bring her down, the rewards could be mighty.

**The great blue skimmer lands for the second time**:

* Undeterred, the great blue skimmer sets down once again to rest.

**The great blue skimmer flies away from battle for the 1st time**:

* After a sustained assault from the fire ants, the skimmer’s stamia is beginning to wane. She leaps away from battle and prepares to take off. If the ants want to prevent her escape, they will need to act quickly.

**The great blue skimmer flies out of the map**:

* Focusing through the pain of the solenopsis venom, the great blue skimmer cleared her wings, stretched her flight muscles and managed to take to the air just in time. She won't be landing back here anytime soon.

**The great blue skimmer becomes unable to escape**:

* Her wings weighted down with fire ants, the skimmer no longer has the strength to take off.

**You kill the great blue skimmer**:

* Crippled by relentless stings, the great skimmer attempts to flee become even more futile. Finally collapsing atop the mound, she succumbs to the fire ants. Dismemberment will follow.

**You win**:

* By joining their bodies together to form a giant raft, the fire ants were able to ferry the queen from the mound just as the nest filled with water. Their perils are not over, but they have shown great resillience and an ability to survive in this harsh environment. Wherever they land, the creatures of the swamp will quickly come to know the might of the fire ants.

**You lose to the flood**:

* The *invicta* colony has fallen. Water poured through the nest tunnels, washing away brood and drowning the queen. A potential great fire ant empire reduced to a mound of wet mud at the bottom of a pond.

**You lose to other enemies**:

* Weakened by the relentless attacks, receding territory and diminishing food sources, the *invicta* colony could no longer hold out. As swamp dwelling invertebrates poured into the nest, the guards fell one by one until eventually the queen’s chamber was stormed and her fate was sealed.

## **Trivia**

* The narrator misidentifies the male great blue skimmer as a female. This is an oversight in the script.

## **References**

1. ↑ Confirmed by Mike on Discord (17/10/2022).