Ice Ants

The recently discovered Ice Ant is a counterparts to the Fire Ant. Whereas Fire Ants will have a red hue to their bodies, Ice Ants have a blue hue, otherwise they are similar in physical attributes and description. Atypically of most ant species, Ice Ants have a king who is the only fertile male of the species. Fertile females are called courtesans and a typical hive will have 100 or more courtesans at a given time. The remainder and most prominent members of the species of any colony are the genderless drones whose tasks include caring for the eggs/larvae/pupae, cleaning the nest, and foraging for food.

Ice Ants will converge upon and sting creatures when a colony location or the King is threatened by some action of a creature. Ice Ants venom does not cause a skin irritation, instead attacking the nervous system. The creatures will experience shuddering chills (like from a fever), a termporary drop in body temperature, and in severe cases (perhaps an allergic reaction) hallucinations. These symtoms may last from hours to days, depending on how much venom has been released upon the victim from multiple stings.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

A single fertile male king can be found per hive and attended to fertile females called coutrtesans. Courtesans only produce 40 to 70 eggs each per day, thus to maintain and grow the colony hundreds of coutesans exist in an Ice Ant hive.

Additional Information

Domestication

Domestication of the Ice Ant is sought in conjunction with the medical research being performed, but colonies have typically collapsed after 12 weeks in a domestic environment and it is as yet unknown why this occurs.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Research of this new species and the venom have just begun. Specifically, medical research is targetting use of the venom as a means to fight high fevers becasue of its properties to drop body temperatures. Other research to harvest the venom for it hallucinogenic effects to be used as a weapon or a recreational drug.