Fire ant bites are known to cause heat, pain, while intense itching.
When biting the skin, fire ants also inject poisons called solenopsins in the body.
Bites cause discomfort that must be addressed immediately.
Fire ants are the common name of several ant species in the genus Solenopsis.
However, fire ants are only a minority in the genus, which holds more than 200 Solenopsis species throughout the world.
Solenopsis is a term for stinging ants and most live in the tropics, such as Central and South America, and in some temperate regions, such as most of North America.
Fire ants are red or yellowish and have a body size of one to five millimeters.
Fire ant nests are made of semi-permanent soil with a kind of open crater for convenience.
Workers' fire ants are famous for being able to damage food crops and attack birds.
Fire ants emit through chemical secretion and stridulation (sounds produced by rubbing or beating one part of the body to another part of the body).
Adult worker ants are known as their aggressive policies currently under the protection of the colonies
Fire Ant Bite Effects
Fire ant poison consists of alkaloids from piperidine.Some people question about conversation, and may be able to approve anaphylaxis that requires emergency treatment.
The sting or bite of a fire ant will cause swelling and lumps, which cause pain and irritation, most when stings occur in the same place.
White lumps can appear on the tip, which can be possible if scratched.
In most cases, it will usually appear within a few days.
First Aid to Fire Ant Bites
When you have just been bitten by a fire ant, the next step needs to be done immediately to request a bite effect.1. Immediately get rid of fire ants
Fire ants are known for their aggressive nature. To avoid a more severe event, immediately remove the ants that are still attached to the body.
Don't get rid of ants with your bare hands, you can use cloth or a towel so you don't move and bite your hand.
If you are in an area with a lot of fire, get out of the way to safer.
2. Wash the area using the bite
Wash the bitten area using warm water and antibacterial soap. You can also try to release the skin to remove toxins.
Alternatively, wash the bite wound with a liquid of bleach added to the same liquid.
If you can withstand pain, wash the wound using alcohol to make sure the wound is free from infection.
Expect wounds as soon as possible, avoided within 10 minutes after the bite.
3. Don't scratch the bite marks
The fire ant poison spreads immediately and causes tremendous burning and itching.
Even though it feels very bad, don't scratch the bite marks because it will only make the infection spread to a wider area.
Oral antihistamine drugs may be needed for people who refute fire ant bites.
4. Apply an antiseptic cream
Next, apply an antiseptic cream to the bitten area.
Applying topical corticosteroid creams like 1% Hydrocortisone will help reduce swelling and overcome the fire ant bite.
If it's not available, you can make a paste from aspirin which is mashed and given a little air. Apply this paste to the skin that is subject to bite.
Another way, compress bites with cold water to prevent swelling.
Natural Ways to Treat Fire Ants
The four steps above have been effective enough to deal with fire ant bites.However, you can also use some natural treatments to improve healing with ant bites.
The following is as expected:
1. Apply "tea tree oil" oil to help eliminate the poison of fire ant bites.
2. Aloe Vera paste can be used to prevent infection and accelerate wound healing.
3. Apply peppermint oil or lavender oil to reduce swelling and improve recovery.
4. Bathe with warm water mixed with 2-3 cups of borax. Borax is a boron mineral that helps attract poisons from the skin.