Red honey ant is a 3-star species card from the Atomic Age. Melophorus bagoti forages in the midday heat of the central Australian desert.
Bonus by grade
| Grade | Copies needed | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Common | 0 | +10% fewer explorers lost |
| Uncommon | 2 | +18% fewer explorers lost |
| Rare | 5 | +30% fewer explorers lost |
| Epic | 10 | +45% fewer explorers lost |
| Legendary | 20 | +70% fewer explorers lost |
Duplicates raise the grade: Uncommon at 2, Rare at 5, Epic at 10, Legendary at 20.
Codex
- Common: Melophorus bagoti lives in central Australia.
- Uncommon: It is active in the hottest part of the day.
- Rare: It finds its way home using landmarks and the sky.
- Epic: Scientists study how it learns routes.
- Legendary: It collects dead insects, seeds and sugary food.
Field notes are reviewed regularly. Spot something wrong? Tell us.
Field guide
| Size | Not well known |
| Colony | Up to about 2,800 workers; a few thousand at maturity |
| Queens | A lone queen founds the colony without help after a mating flight |
| Nest | Fairly large underground nests; entrance sometimes blocked with stones at dusk |
| Diet | Dead insects, seeds and sugary plant sap; foragers work alone |
| Defence | Blocks the nest entrance with stones after dusk, likely against predators |
| Active | Hot summer days; forages when the ground is very hot |
| Lifespan | Not well known |
| Where it lives | Arid central Australia and most mainland states except Victoria |
Did you know?
- Foragers start work when the soil surface is about 50 °C.
- The genus name Melophorus means honey carrier, as some workers store liquid food.
- Mating flights are synchronised and probably triggered by rain.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, antwiki.org, antscout.com