Things to know about ANTS and ANT BITES
The adult fire ant is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long and varies in color, depending on the geographic area. Mounds of the imported fire ant are one to three feet in diameter and up to a foot in height. The construction and shape of the mound will depend on the environment. There is no visible opening in these mounds. One characteristic of fire ant mounds is that the ants leave the grass and vegetation undisturbed up to the edge of the mound. The mounds of domestic fire ants are smaller, usually about six inches in diameter and about an inch high, and made up of finer granules.
Harvester ants are two or three times larger than fire ants, often about 1/3 of an inch in length. Their. mounds are flat or slightly raised. They are typically surrounded by a zone which the ants have cleared of grass and weeds. This area may be up to several feet in diameter.
If their mounds are disturbed, harvester ants will readily attack man and animals in large numbers and inflict vicious stings. Their mounds are easy to avoid, though-the large defoliated area surrounding them gives ample warning. Harvester ants have been known to kill small animals but are not a great problem for people.
The imported fire ant is another matter. This ant has a more toxic venom and sting of greater severity than the native species. There are larger numbers of these ants per colony, and they have a more aggressive, vicious disposition. When fire ant mounds are disturbed, the ants spill out to attack with chilling ferocity.
Fire ants have earned their name by possessing a sting which produces a severe burning sensation. This sting has been likened to that of the honey bee. The ant grasps the skin of the victim and stabs with its stinger. The stinger has no barbs, and can be withdrawn and inserted into the victim repeatedly. One ant can inflict as many as twenty separate stings. This often results in a circle of stings with two tiny red dots in the center, where the jaws were attached. The pain subsides in a few minutes and a small wheal appears. This is followed in about four hours by a blister. After eight to ten hours, the clear fluid in the blister becomes cloudy pus, so that the typical fire ant sting at this point is a small pus bump perched on a red wheal. These pustules are painless and dry up in about ten days. This circular pattern of pustules is characteristic of fire ant stings. Generalized reactions are usually not severe, unless the victim is allergic to the ant venom. In this case, shock and even death can occur.
In certain areas of the gulf states, as many as 1/3 of the population has suffered ant stings, and this proportion increases to over 1/2 in children. About 20 percent of these have had at least minimal allergic reactions, usually not severe enough to require medical care.
Treatment for ANT BITES
Most ant stings produce only slight pain and itching, but imported fire ant stings are worse, as has been discussed. First aid treatment consists of washing the sites with soap and water followed by the application of ice packs or cold compresses. A paste of baking soda and water can be used to neutralize the acidic component of the venom of some ants.
Harvester ants are two or three times larger than fire ants, often about 1/3 of an inch in length. Their. mounds are flat or slightly raised. They are typically surrounded by a zone which the ants have cleared of grass and weeds. This area may be up to several feet in diameter.
If their mounds are disturbed, harvester ants will readily attack man and animals in large numbers and inflict vicious stings. Their mounds are easy to avoid, though-the large defoliated area surrounding them gives ample warning. Harvester ants have been known to kill small animals but are not a great problem for people.
The imported fire ant is another matter. This ant has a more toxic venom and sting of greater severity than the native species. There are larger numbers of these ants per colony, and they have a more aggressive, vicious disposition. When fire ant mounds are disturbed, the ants spill out to attack with chilling ferocity.
Fire ants have earned their name by possessing a sting which produces a severe burning sensation. This sting has been likened to that of the honey bee. The ant grasps the skin of the victim and stabs with its stinger. The stinger has no barbs, and can be withdrawn and inserted into the victim repeatedly. One ant can inflict as many as twenty separate stings. This often results in a circle of stings with two tiny red dots in the center, where the jaws were attached. The pain subsides in a few minutes and a small wheal appears. This is followed in about four hours by a blister. After eight to ten hours, the clear fluid in the blister becomes cloudy pus, so that the typical fire ant sting at this point is a small pus bump perched on a red wheal. These pustules are painless and dry up in about ten days. This circular pattern of pustules is characteristic of fire ant stings. Generalized reactions are usually not severe, unless the victim is allergic to the ant venom. In this case, shock and even death can occur.
In certain areas of the gulf states, as many as 1/3 of the population has suffered ant stings, and this proportion increases to over 1/2 in children. About 20 percent of these have had at least minimal allergic reactions, usually not severe enough to require medical care.
Treatment for ANT BITES
Most ant stings produce only slight pain and itching, but imported fire ant stings are worse, as has been discussed. First aid treatment consists of washing the sites with soap and water followed by the application of ice packs or cold compresses. A paste of baking soda and water can be used to neutralize the acidic component of the venom of some ants.
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