If you’ve never given any consideration to how to treat fire ant bites, consider yourself lucky — it means you’ve never had the misfortune of interacting with them. The effects of fire ant bites can range from mild to fatal, depending on several biological factors like allergies, species, and attack severity (i.e. a few ants vs a large colony).
More than 318 million acres of US soil are teeming with members of the Solenopsis genus, some of which were inadvertently transported here in the early 20th century by South American ships. Their habitat covers a wide range of locales, like river banks, highway shoulders, and open fields, but moist soil is the common denominator of any chosen habitat.
Fire ants prefer soil that has been slightly disturbed, as it makes nest building easier. If nesting in an open field, lawn, or park, large conical mounds of dirt are a good indicator of their presence. Often these mounds are mistaken for signs of varmints, but you don’t want to go poking into this mound looking for a cute furry rodent!
In urban environments, fire ants make their homes under rotting logs, rocks, bricks, and other debris that won’t blow away. They are fiercely territorial and aggressive, and have pushed a number of native species — not just other ants — out of their own habitats.
Solenopsis invictus, called the red imported fire ant (RIFA), is the most threatening species of the genus to humans and animals, as they exhibit outstanding survival skills, imperviousness to eradication (they are actually spreading worldwide), and pack a bite and sting combo that can cause serious health risks.
This species of fire ant attacks by first biting into the flesh, anchoring themselves to deliver alkaloid venom from a specialized stinger in the abdomen (similar to a bee stinger). People who are sensitive to the venom could suffer from anaphylaxis, which can be fatal without medical attention.
Less severe symptoms include pain, itching, burning sensation, swelling, and redness at the bite location, as well as dizziness, nausea, chest pain, profuse perspiration, slurred speech, low blood pressure, and shallow breathing. However, those who suffer bitets from RIFA are at risk of suffering allergic reactions in the future if they are stung again.
To treat fire ant bites, both external and oral remedies may need to be administered. To soothe the pain of the sting, vinegar, aloe vera, and hydrocortisone have proven effective, combined with an OTC pain reliever if necessary. Antihistamines are effective agents for suppressing allergic reactions. Care should be taken to avoid scratching the affected area as much as possible to prevent secondary infection and scarring.
If you live in the southeastern region of the US, your chances of coming across a fire ant colony are excellent. While you can’t always prevent an attack, you can take care to stay on marked trails, keep an eye out for their telltale soil mounds, and carry a basic first aid kit when enjoying the outdoors to ensure damages are minimal for both parties.
Related articles: Treat Insect Bites Without Toxins, Soothe Bug Bites with DIY Itch Relief Powder, How to Avoid Insect Bites and Stings in the Outdoors
Featured Image from Lorenz Lippert/Unsplash
