Creature:Megante

The Megante is a species of massive insects native to the planet Nidares Prime. They share a common ancestor with Seronians, and split off from their line over 15 million years ago.

Biology
Megantes have a hive mentality and form massive mounds made of a combination of clay and saliva. These structures can reach heights of nearly 200 feet tall, 300 feet wide, and have massive underground chambers reaching nearly a mile underground. In order to feed their massive numbers, they typically hunt down prey that comes to close to their mounds or go on hunting trips, though the majority of their food comes from algae and fungi farmed within their hive.

They achieve their "farming" techniques by growing their algae in the aboveground chambers, and water them via special drones that head to watering holes and then store massive amounts of water inside their abdomens. Meanwhile, the fungi is cultivated deep underground and grown with the remains of their prey, empty exoskeletons, droppings, and their dead.

Megantes will also feed on spice geysers, and will use special drones to store it in until they need to feed on it. Once these special drones completely digest the spice, it is then fed to the larvae first and then other members of the hive.

A group of queens live within the deepest chamber of the hive, and are all the mate of a single king. They continuously produce hundreds of eggs a day, and are fed by numerous drones. Winged drones exist, and will eventually become kings that will then leave the hive in order to encounter winged females which move in small "flocks". These groups then build small underground mounds, and after reproducing enough, the epic sized nests construction begins.

Megantes are one of the few known species in the galaxy that can digest spice and use it as a major part of their diet.

Taxonomy

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 * Genus: Formica
 * Species: Formica megante