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Varian Death Ants

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The invertebrates of Varian III are many and varied, and one of the interesting things is that like so many of Varian III's vertebrates the invertebrates resemble animals and fill ecological niches similar to those of Earth. The Varian Ants are among these, and in fact resemble wasps more than ants. Varian Ants are members of the Varoinsectoids, who as their name implies are very similar the the insects of earth. The Varoformicidae really fill the roll of both ants and wasps, for most species unlike the true ants of earth have full use of wings which they use to forage for food and bring it back to the nest. Though Varoinsectoids are similar to insects they have different labor distribution within their colonies. Unlike Earth ants which are helpless grubs when they hatch, Varian ants hatch into the colonies workers. They are small and fully formed other than the wing buds which gives them the ability to move about the tunnels freely. The wings are just tiny flaps now kept well out of the way, but once the worker has reached the ripe old age of two weeks they shed their skins, grow larger and have fully functioning wings. They have now become foragers which go out to look for the food and water needed to maintain the nest. Their stomach becomes two when they molt so as to carry food in one while water is carried in the other. Foragers have stingers set at the tip of the tail like abdomen which is very mobile. It is used to subdue prey and deter predators. Some like the very aptly named Death Ants have a venom so potent even large animals have been known to die when stung. They are brightly colored and make threat displays of brandishing their stingers and flapping their wings. One interesting aspect of Varoinsectoids is that they normally have eight limbs not the six of Earth insects. In the Varian Ants the forth pair of legs are modified to grip and hold prey or other food items not for walking. This helps the Forager to bring back to the colony more food than it can carry in it's gut. Despite Death Ants being as formidable as they are many Foragers are eaten and do not return to the colony to move on to their next job, for once they reach the age of six weeks they molt once again, but this time into the solder faze. They are now much bigger and more massively built. Their sting is just as potent but their grasping arms now act like blades to grab and rip as are their mandibles. Their sole purpose is to defend the nest from danger and they willingly throw themselves at the largest attacker, bitting and stinging with reckless abandon. They care nothing for their own safety and many die. This is the last faze that Varian Ants go through and any that amazingly survive to old age die around week nine.

The Queen is the largest individual in the colony which is to be expected. She unlike Earth ant queens still has her wings though they don't often use them. Her abdomen is much larger than any of the other forms, and is tipped with forceps like pincers which she uses to place the eggs once they are laid where she wants them. She too has a stinger but it is very small and is retractable unlike the stingers of the other forms. Her grasping arms are very small compared to the other forms and not used except to inspect eggs when they are laid. If the egg is small or deformed it is eaten and recycled.

The male unlike ant drones lives as a king just like in Termite colonies. He mates with the Queen to ensure a constant flow of eggs and is much smaller than his mate. He also has no stinger, though if any attackers make it to the Queen the King has been known to fight to the death to protect her despite not having the proper equipment. He too has a full set of wings which are only used when the colony moves. This only happens if the colony grows too large, and rather like bees the colony splits, but unlike bees, a Queen egg is laid to replace her. Once the Queen hatches she grows rapidly, and produces pheromones to attract a perspective mate. when a non-mated male comes calling to the colony entrance he releases pheromones of his own to indicate his intentions. The guards inspect him using their feelers and mouthing him with their palps tasting his scent. If the King to be passes inspection he is then ushered to the Royal chamber where the Queen now inspects him in much the same way. If he passes muster then He will be allowed to mate with her and brings new blood into the colony in effect creating a new colony.

(bottom left, egg. right of egg, Worker. just above Worker, Forager. just above and to the right of the Forager, Solder. to the right and below Solder, Queen. Below Queen, King. King and Queen not to scale with the rest of the forms. Top Left head study.)
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