Fire Ant (Fallout: New Vegas)

Fire ants are mutated insects found in the Mojave Wasteland in 2281.

Background
It is not known exactly how fire ants came to be in the Mojave Wasteland, but they are likely mutated red imported fire ants. It is possible that their ability to breathe fire has developed in a way similar to the fire gecko's ability.

Biology
Fire ants are large insects, covered in a reddish-brown carapace. They have large mandibles used for defending themselves as well as for hunting. Their long antennae protruding out of the head act like sensors, allowing them to sense more information about their immediate environment. They also have the unusual ability of breathing fire.

Gameplay attributes
These insects may pose a significant threat if encountered early in the game, especially for lower-level characters. Hitting their antennae counts toward a Critical Hit and will also frenzy the ant. Fire ants use the same tactics as giant ants, swarming their foe. Fire and explosives-based weapons are generally ineffective when dealing with them, as they have a high Fire Resistance. They will sometimes ignore the player character and only attack when provoked.

Fire ant queen
The fire ant queen, or giant ant queen, is the largest creature in the Mojave Wasteland. Only one ant queen appears in Fallout: New Vegas, located in the ant mound south of the Allied Technologies offices and Camp McCarran, northwest of REPCONN headquarters.

Fire ant soldier
Fire ant soldiers, or soldier fire ants, are the larger and stronger of the two fire ant variants. This ant often accompanies the workers in foraging.

Fire ant worker
Fire ant workers are the smaller and weaker of the two fire ant variants. They are responsible for gathering food and taking care of the young of the colony.

Locations

 * Ant mound
 * El Dorado Dry Lake

Appearances
Fire ants appear in Fallout: New Vegas.

Bugs

 * Occasionally, they will make a sound that suggests they are spitting fire, but there is no fire present.
 * Sometimes the queen will appear in the tunnels leading to her, rather than the large open room.
 * The death item list for the ant queen is meant to give ant queen pheromones and a random number of ant eggs, but does not have the "Use All" flag checked; this results in the list instead giving out only one of the listed items, equating to an approximate 8% chance of receiving pheromones and less than a 20% chance of receiving any ant eggs.
 * There is a misnamed fire ant in northern El Dorado Dry Lake that may spawn as a soldier fire ant, rather than a fire ant soldier.
 * Sometimes ants might walk right into steep world geometry and walkthrough.