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In the case of fire ants, the venom consists mainly of alkaloid (>95%) and protein (<1%) components. [2] Stinging ants cause a cutaneous condition that is different from that caused by biting venomous ants. Particularly painful are stings from fire ants, although the bullet ant's sting is considered by some to be the most painful insect sting.
For minor sting injuries, with symptoms only including pustule formations and pain, over-the-counter products are available to prevent infection. Ants should be removed by washing the area with antiseptic soap, and itchiness. It is rare for ant sting sites to become infected, so the use of antibiotic prophylaxis is not always required. [45] [54]
Fire ants often attack small animals such as small lizards and can kill them. Unlike many other ants, which bite and then spray acid on the wound, fire ants bite only to get a grip and then sting (from the abdomen) and inject a toxic alkaloid venom called solenopsin, a compound from the class of piperidines.
The good news is they don’t carry disease, and only two types (fire ants and Asian needle ants) sting. Nevertheless, no one wants them as houseguests! ... Do some sleuthing. How far ants will ...
Some ants are also rated at a pain level 3, including the giant bull ant and the Maricopa harvester ant. Schmidt considered the sting of the Maricopa harvester ant as having a pain level of 3, describing it as such: "After eight unrelenting hours of drilling into that ingrown toenail, you find the drill wedged into the toe." [3]
Fire ants sting and bite, particularly little kids since they can come into contact with dirt mounds playing outside. During those rare summer showers, fire ants will immediately turn up.
[227] [228] Unlike in honeybees, the sting lacks barbs, and so the stinger is not left in the area the ant has stung, allowing the ants to sting repeatedly without any harm to themselves. [229] The retractable sting is located in their abdomen, attached to a single venom gland connected by the venom sac, which is where the venom is accumulated.
How to treat the sting If you happen to get stung by an ant, they usually leave multiple small red bumps, Goldenberg says. In the case of fire ants, these bumps can turn into pus-filled blisters.