Treating Fire Ant Bites
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Fire ant stings are different from wasp or bee stings in that a single worker ant can bite and sting numerous times. The worker attaches to the skin with its mandibles by pulling and then pinching the skin. Then the ant will arch its back slightly and force its stinger into the skin.
It will then pivot (staying attached) and sting again, continuing to do so in a circle. And because fire ants attack in droves, there will be numerous ants doing the same thing simultaneously, resulting in intense pain and burning.
The fire ants venom differs from bee and wasp venom in that it has a protein base. About 95% of fire ant venom is water-insoluble and contains hemolytic factors. These hemolytic factors cause histamine to be released which is what causes a sterile pustule at the sting site.
The venom also contains several allergenic proteins is what is mainly responsible for anaphylaxis in patients who are allergic.
Avoiding Stings:
The best way to deal with stings and the associated medical emergencies they can cause in extreme cases is to avoid getting stung in the first place:
Learn to recognize places and situations that may involve fire ants.
Avoid nests and mounds or even being near them. It can be difficult to tell when you've gotten too close, and even a slight disturbance will cause them to start swarming all over you. You don't even have to damage the mound - if you get in the way of a food trail close to the nest that could be enough.
Educate children and guests about fire ants and the hazard they present.
Always wear protective clothing when outside working, such as boots, and tuck your pants into your socks so that it is harder for them to find a way to get at your skin.
To the best of your ability, control fire ant activity in frequently used areas.
What to Do Once You've Been Bitten:
1) Get the fire ants off of you.
Since worker ants have attached themselves to gain leverage, they are usually affixed tightly to the skin. Jumping or stomping will not detach them. Neither will jumping into water or running water over them. The preferable means of removing them is to rub them off with your hand or use a cloth. This will serve to detach them quickly.
2) Perform basic first aid.
A single fire ant sting may hurt less then a bee or wasp sting, but fire ant stings can be life threatening in some cases. If a person inadvertently stands on or near a nest the may find hundreds of ants attacking them within seconds. They sting simultaneously and repeatedly. And they therefore can result in some intense pain.
There are more than five million Americans every year who suffer from fire ant stings. A person who gets stung by a fire ant will feel a sharp pain and intense burning similar to being burned by fire. Stepping on a mound means you will receive a lot of stings at once. Each sting will turn into an itchy blister by the next day.
Fire ant stings can cause various medical problems from localized sterile blisters to whole body reactions such as anaphylactic shock and occasionally death. Don't panic, though - most of the time people have just a few bites and are mainly going to be dealing with some irritation.
If you have been stung by a fire ant, you should softly wash the skin with a mixture of soap and water - this will get rid of the venom on the surface. If you have rubbing alcohol around, you also should disinfect the area of the bites. After you're done with that, it is a good idea to put some ice in a washcloth and hold it next to the bites for about 15-20 minutes. That will help keep down swelling and make it a little less irritating the next day.
Fire ant stings are also accompanied by intense itching. Victims need to use care and avoid bursting the pustules that form. This could lead to secondary skin infections and make you need antibiotic treatment, so it's very important not to scratch. Taking some Benadryl can help alleviate some of the initial reactions to the stings. If a child has been bitten it can be very difficult to stop them from scratching, but it's also very important.
If you have any kind of allergies to either fire ants or to any other stinging insect (bees, wasps, etc.), it is wise to always call a physician in the event of fire ant sting and, of course, it is an emergency if the victim experiences shortness of breath or dizziness, so call 911 immediately if that happens.
Home Remedies:
Here is a list of various home remedies people have come up with for fire ant bites. The good:
Ice Cube
Apply meat tenderizer
Apply a paste of salt or crushed aspirin.
Desert Essence ฎ Tea Tree Oil
Rub with fresh slice of onion
Dab with hydrogen peroxide
Immediately apply aloe gel
Use Arnica Gel
The iffy (people have claimed to use them, but you could mess them up or they involve chemicals and I'd recommend trying something else first):
For pustule and pustules, half bleach and half water applied immediately to the area, reduces pustule formation.
Dab with ammonia
Use dishwashing liquid
Sources and Useful Links:
http://www.muschealth.com/healthyaging/fireant.htm
http://parenting.ivillage.com/gs/gshealth/0,,hf3m,00.html
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