Fire Ants
Saturday, August 1st, 2009 | Standards
You can tell if an ant is a fire ant by looking at the color of its body. This ant variety often has a copper brown head and body, but with a darker abdomen. The workers tend to be blackish or reddish, and they can be 2 to 6 millimeters in length.
Fire ants build their nest in moist soil. You can find them in river banks, lawns that are often watered, near ponds, or fountains. They tend to build their nests under some form of covering such as beneath a fallen log, bricks, or rocks. If there is no covering, they build mounds that could reach a height of about half a meter.
When most ants bite, they spray acid on the wound causing a bit of sting. Fire ants, however, bite only to secure a hold then sting from the abdomen injecting a toxin called Solenopsin. This alkaloid venom causes a painful sting that is similar to a burning sensation.
There are various natural remedies to the bite of a fire ant. You can use a thick meat tenderizer paste, baking soda mixed with water into a thick paste, salt, tea tree oil, onion, and even dishwashing liquid. If these do not work and abate your swelling, it is suggested that you see your doctor. But if you are the kind that is sensitive or allergic to insect bites, you better see your physician right away.