Fire ant (Fallout 3)



The Fire Ants are a variation of Giant Ants that is even more mutated than the "regular" giant bugs. Their name comes from their ability to literally breathe fire, similarly to the Fire Geckos from the Core Region.

The fire ants were created by Doctor Lesko, a scientist from the Capital Wasteland, and can only be found in that area. He was experimenting to return giant ants to their normal size through genetical manipulation and accidentally created the fire ants.

Background of Fire Ants
Fire Ants are a growing species, but still small as they come from one source: The Queen Fire Ant, which can be killed in a variety of ways. The queen was created by Doctor Lesko, as well as the rest of the ants. All though the Fire Ants have good survival skills and can wander around the wastes safely they are found around one specific area called Grayditch, a small town that has been completely taken over by Fire Ants. If you follow the trail of these Fire Ants, you will find a cave in which is Doctor Lesko, along with the Queen Fire Ant, not to mention dozens of Fire Ant Warriors and Soldiers protecting the queen. If the Queen Fire Ant is destroyed, although several Fire Ants will still be alive, they will no longer be able to reproduce, and will soon after die out.



Varieties

 * Worker Fire Ant
 * Soldier Fire Ant
 * Warrior Fire Ant
 * Guardian Fire Ant - Only found in the queen's nest.
 * Ant Queen - Found in the Queens Ant's Hatchery

Antennae
If you zoom in with RB, target the ant's antenna. There appears to be a ~50% chance of working the ant into a frenzy. Once a fire ant becomes frenzied it will attack other nearby fire ants. If done correctly, you can use a single Soldier or Warrior Fire Ant to destroy 2 or 3 worker fire ants. Once attacked by another ant, the attackee will return fire, damaging the attacking ant. This tactic can be extremely useful when under attack by 2 or more fire ants. It may take 2-3 hits to work a fire ant into a frenzy. Though there is not a ton of data to support the following, it appears to be true: Soldier or Warrior Fire Ants become frenzied more easily than Worker Fire Ants.

Legs
It is helpful to cripple a fire ant's legs and continue backing away once they are crippled it is easy to take single, non-zoomed-in shots at the ants head once it is limping towards you.

Caution
It is advised that you do not attempt to fight fire ants, or, for that matter, go into Greyditch, if you are low on ammo. It will be very difficult to kill fire ants with a melee weapon, especially earlier in the game, so stock up beforehand.

Related quests

 * Those!