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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.
Fire ant venoms are mainly composed (>95%) of a complex mixture of insoluble alkaloids added to a watery solution of toxic proteins. [8] For the Red imported fire ant Solenopsis invicta Buren there are currently 46 described proteins, [9] of which four are well-characterised as potent allergens. [10]
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.
They can release their contents suicidally by performing autothysis, thereby rupturing the ant's body and spraying a toxic substance from the head, which gives these species the common name "exploding ants". [31] [32] [33] The enlarged mandibular gland, which is many times the size of that of a normal ant, produces a glue. The glue bursts out ...
The most notable component found in the venom of the Maricopa harvester ant is an alkaloid poison—this releases an "alarm" pheromone that chemically alerts other ants in the vicinity. This is an example of chemical signaling , which explains why ants all appear to sting at once.
Myrmecia stings are very potent, and the venom from these ants is among the most toxic in the insect world. In Tasmania , 3% of the human population are allergic to the venom of M. pilosula and can suffer life-threatening anaphylactic reactions if stung.
The jack jumper ant (Myrmecia pilosula), also known as the jack jumper, jumping jack, hopper ant, or jumper ant, is a species of venomous ant native to Australia.Most frequently found in Tasmania and southeast mainland Australia, it is a member of the genus Myrmecia, subfamily Myrmeciinae, and was formally described and named by British entomologist Frederick Smith in 1858.
Solenopsis invicta, the fire ant, or red imported fire ant (RIFA), is a species of ant native to South America. A member of the genus Solenopsis in the subfamily Myrmicinae, it was described by Swiss entomologist Felix Santschi as a variant of S. saevissima in 1916. Its current specific name invicta was given to the ant in 1972 as a separate ...