Fireworm (Species)

"Their skin burns hotter than the sun."

- Hiccup talking about the Fireworms. The Fireworm (originally named the Flame-Eater) is like the cockroach of the dragon world, that is, if a cockroach could superheat its skin to burn everything it touched. It also has traits from bees in that they create gel that's stored in honeycomb-like structures and have a queen.

Behavior
These dragons are often found in large groups. This makes them extremely dangerous. They are even remotely aggressive, occasionally clinging to potential enemies. Usually Fireworms make their homes in dark caverns. Fireworm Queens are very protective of their firecombs of gel and will chase down anything that tries to take it. As being a mother, the queen has devoted, discreet nature even on rage to take back her firecombs, and being highly intelligent as being capable of conjecturing the intruders' motives and objectives. Strangely enough, average fireworms are afraid of fire. As shown in "Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Young Man", when Toothless blasted at them, they started to back off. The queen, however, is not. In the episode "Race to Fireworm Island", when Stormfly blasted the queen, she stood firm and kept fighting.

Despite their aggressive nature (to protect their nests), they seem to know if another dragon's fire is worn out, and are kind and sympathetic enough to reignite other dragons' firepower with their venom (at least all species of Stoker class receive benefits ). This may well be a natural instinct for the species.

Appearance
Their appearence differs significantly between the average fireworm and the queen fireworm:

Average
Common Fireworms are about half the size of Terrible Terrors. They have dark gray scales with red skin underneath, or gray skin that turns red when heated; however it seems in Riders of Berk, they have orangish-brown scales. They also have five pairs of legs for a total of ten legs. They have fierce eyes that glow in the dark. They resemble lizards, with their wide heads and long bodies. When they heat, they glow white-red, and sometimes light their bodies on fire. From what the Rise of Berk game says, it would appear that the average fireworms are all males.

Queen/Princess
The queen of the fireworms (the Fireworm Queen, also called Fireworm Princess in Dragons: Rise of Berk) looks quite similar to your average fireworm, but she has some differences that make her outstand from the rest. For instance, while the common fireworm can fit in the palm of a hand, the queen is many times bigger, her size is comparable to that of a Monstrous Nightmare. She also possesses several protuberances in the back and front of her head that resemble a crown. The Queen was seen only at Fireworm Island so her original colour (the color when not heated up) is unknown. It is unknown if the Queen even has an original color. Fireworm Queens are, like the name suggests, always female and if another female fireworm were to be born in a nest which already has a queen, the newly born fireworm would fly off to start a nest of her own. Fireworm Queens would appear to be the only female in the species.

Abilities
All fireworms can heat up their skin to a temperature of hotter than the Sun and being high enough that they can burn almost anything. While doing so they also generate a great amount of light, and sometimes, they even set themselves on fire. It is known that the closer two fireworms are to one another, the brighter they will shine. This ability is used as self defense and also can be used against other dragons. It has been shown to be very powerful especially when there is a pack of dragons using this ability.

Fireworms are shown to have ability to be great climbers as they can climb in the caves.

Applying their body heat, Fireworm Queens have extremely powerful, napalm-typed fire breaths that are very unruly gaseous fire with spewing out small fireworks (being similar to that of the Monstrous Nightmares). These flame blasts are surprisingly potent.

They also have strong prehensile tails that can pick up large objects over 5,000lbs or more. On top of that, they are able to stand on four legs and their tongue has a venom that has the special ability to reignite the worn out fire of Stoker Class Dragons, like Monstrous Nightmares. Fireworms can also produce some kind of gel that gives them their fire and they store in honeycomb-like containers.

Fireworm Queen have shown to be clever as she was able to take short cut to catch up their enemies. Another way showing off their intelligence is to quickly understood that bond to between a dragon and their rider of risking their life's for each other.

In Dragons: Riders/Defenders of Berk
When searching for the fabled Hamish Treasure, Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and their dragons find themselves trapped in a cave. While searching for a way out, they find a large, dark opening. Entering, they realize that the "floor" is moving. Toothless lights the room, and they find thousands of little Fireworms bustling about in a shallow pit. They find multiple pedestals in the heart of their nest, and the dragons try to frighten/fight the smaller reptiles off until the kids can find a way out.

They also make a small reappearance in "Gem of a Different Color", where Tuffnut tried to jump into a pit full of Fireworms while holding a Changewing egg which he still thought was a "Stone of Good Fortune" thinking the stone won't let Fireworms burn him, only to be saved by Stormfly.

Fireworms are explored more thoroughly in "Race to Fireworm Island", where it was revealed that, like Fireworms, they have their very own island and nest, which is overseen by their mother, the Fireworm Queen. The reason behind their constant and extreme heat is also explained to be that they feed off firecombs, filled the very same gel that gives the Monstrous Nightmare its flaming ability. This is why they were given the name 'Flame-Eaters' by Bork the Bold.

Notable Fireworm Queens
The Fireworm Queen that chased Hiccup and Snotlout (see Race to Fireworm Island)

Trivia

 * As shown by the concept art, Fireworms originaly didn't have wings.
 * It could be possible that the Fireworms recieved their name after Fireworm (book), a female Monstrous Nightmare belonging to Snotlout.
 * They are extremely powerful in packs, as it is shown that all of the kids and the dragons together struggle to hold off a swarm of Fireworms.
 * Though they had already been discovered by Vikings, as Hiccup was easily able to identify them, their statistics have not been discovered yet (possibly due to the low danger rate they emit on their own).
 * In the Cartoon Network website, the Fireworms have no wings at all, but it is possible the images on the site are just concept arts instead of the final version of the images. However, there are two images: one of them has wings, and the other doesn't. They don't fly in the 2 episodes of Season 1 episodes they appear in (the first of which involving a situation that might have warranted their flight had they the capability), which seems to support the lack of wings. "Race To Fireworm Island" confirms beyond doubt the existence of wings. There is also a sketch of a winged Fireworm during the end credits of Riders of Berk. As this is the first series, this would strongly suggest that they always were intended to have wings.
 * It is possible that they are based off the Red-Hot Itchyworms, as they look similar and have very similar attributes.
 * In the episode, it is stated that the Fireworm's skin burns hotter than the sun. The Deadly Nadder's flame is supposed to burn with the heat of the sun, so logically touching a Fireworm should be hotter than being hit by a Deadly Nadder's flame, although it is likely they use a less intense heat normally.
 * Despite the Terrible Terrors being considered the smallest of all dragons, Fireworms are actually much smaller, and can be held in the palm of your hand.
 * Fireworms and Monstrous Nightmares are both Stoker Class dragons, being able to set themselves on fire.
 * Bork the Bold originally called the Fireworms "Flame-eaters", but the name and the reason behind it faded from common knowledge.
 * It could be possible that the idea of Fireworms came from fireflies (their ability to fly), fire-ants (their biting exchanged with heating their skin) or bees (since they live in packs and have a queen and produce honeycombs replaced with firecombs).
 * The reasons why normal Fireworms are afraid of fire are unknown.
 * The closer they are to one another the brighter they glow.
 * Overall, mother lightly resembles the Yinglong like the Grapple Grounder, but Fireworm's features are more suiting than the Grounder; golden colored, unnaturally powerful (and hot), being generous and more intelligent.
 * Even though it is said that Terrors are the smallest Dragon species, Fireworms have shown to be much smaller, at least the regular ones.
 * In Dragons Rise of Berk, it is said that if another female is born that it goes off to create it's own colony.
 * The Fireworm is the first dragon species that has more than two pairs of legs, with the second being the Hackatoo.
 * Rise of Berk Book of Dragons, stated for queen size is 500 times bigger than the normal sized Fireworm.
 * Rise of Berk calls the average Fireworms offspring of the Fireworm Queen/Princess.