![]() Make sure they know what a fire ant mound looks like so that they can identify them and stay away from them. Care should be taken when using these insecticides around pets and children.Ĭhildren are especially at risk to fire ant bites. While you can apply a variety of treatments to your lawn, be aware that unless all your neighbors are also treating their lawns, it may be difficult to completely eradicate fire ants from your surroundings.įire ant treatments are available at lawn care stores in a variety of forms, including baits, granules and liquids. If you’ve had a severe allergic reaction to fire ants in the past, your doctor may recommend you carry with you an EpiPen, a life-saving device that you can use to inject a medicine called epinephrine. This is not common, but if someone experiences these symptoms, immediate emergency medical attention is required: While most fire ant stings heal on their own, if you are severely allergic to fire ants, even one sting can cause anaphylaxis, a condition that can lead to unconsciousness or even death without treatment. Depending on the severity, your doctor may recommend hydrocortisone injections or prescription hydrocortisone creams. If the pain and itching haven’t gotten better after a few days, or if there is swelling or spreading redness on the skin, you may need to see your healthcare provider. Pain and itching from the venom can last for hours and even days. Triple antibiotic ointment to blisters that have been popped from scratching (and try not to scratch).You might be tempted to pop the blisters – don’t. If you are stung by many fire ants, or if you are severely allergic to their venom, the attack can lead to serious medical consequences. Their stings often leave behind itchy, painful blisters that appear within about 20 minutes of the attack. If you’ve ever been attacked by fire ants, it was probably a memorable occasion. The worker ants build underground tunnels as far away as 25 feet from the ant mound. Often you don’t realize you’re being attacked until it’s too late and your foot or hand is covered with ants, injecting you with venom.įire ant colonies can contain up to 200,000 ants, including worker ants and a queen, who lays from 1,500 to 1,600 eggs a day. If you disturb their mound, they can start swarming you and stinging within 10 to 20 seconds. Another fact about fire ants: They’re fast. Here’s a fun fact : Fire ants both bite and sting, although when you’re attacked by fire ants, most of the pain comes from venom contained in the sting. Springtime is when you start seeing these insects building their mounds. And bites and stings from fire ants are a definite buzz kill.īecause fire ants originally came from South America, they prefer the warmer temperature of the southern United States. But guess who else loves the warmer weather? Fire ants. When the weather is warmer and the days are longer, we can’t resist spending more time outdoors, whether it’s gardening, walking, playing or just sitting and relaxing.
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