Velvet Ant Swarm

A moving carpet of big, red ants with black heads sweeps towards you.

Velvet Ant Swarm (CR 3)

Diminutive Vermin (Swarm)
Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +3
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +0

Speed: 30 feet, Climb 20 feet
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 size, +0 natural)
Hit Points: 27 (5d8+5)
Saving Throws: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1
Immunity: mind-affecting effects, weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits
Weaknesses: swarm traits

Offense

Melee: swarm (1d6 plus poison)
Reach: 0 feet

Special Attacks: Distraction (DC 13)

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
1 (-5)	16 (+3)	13 (+1)	-	11 (+0)	4 (-3)

Base Attack Bonus: +3
CMB -
CMD -

Feats:

Skills: Climb +11

Languages:

Special Abilities

Poison (Ex)

Swarm-injury; save Fort DC 13; frequency 1/ round for 4 rounds; effect 1 Dexterity damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Ecology

Environment: Warm Forests or Plains
Organization: solitary, pack (2-4 swarms), or cluster (6-11 swarms)
Treasure: none


Velvet ants are not really ants at all but a form of wasp. The females are wingless while the males have wings. Velvet ants have a bright red abdomen and thorax and a black head and black legs. Its thorax and abdomen are covered with short, coarse, red hairs. Typical adults reach a length of 1 inch.

Velvet ants feed on the nectar of flowers, though on some occasions, the adults have been known to feed on other wasps and bees, particularly bumblebees or honey bees. Other such insects are generally left alone.

Velvet ants typically make their lair in bee hives or nests they have taken over. Generally an assault is short and quick, with the velvet ants swarming the bees and quickly gaining the upper hand, slaying all bees in a single nest. Slain bees are kept as food for the velvet ant larvae.

Velvet ants are generally inoffensive. Most encounters are with a swarm moving from one location to another, and most attacks happen when a careless individual wanders into the swarm. Male velvet ants are completely harmless. Females compose any swarm encountered and they attack with a painful sting.

Copyright Notice Author Scott Greene.