Them!

[Daffy D]

They bite.

These black ants are about the size of the large harmless brown ants that usually live in nests in trees.

The bite from these black ants can be painful with swelling round the affected area. Both the wife and I and our 2year old have got bitten by these little monsters.

The wife on the foot with the foot swelling and painful to use, I got bitten on the finger with the finger and part of my hand swelling and difficult to bend.

The 2year old trod on one and got bitten on the foot. Within minutes her foot was swollen and she had lumpy bumps all over her body and almost seemed to go into a coma. We rushed her to the clinic who gave her some antihistamine and lotion for the swellings. Don't know if she was ever in real danger but it seemed like it to us.

The symptoms last for several hours but obviously depends on each persons allergic reaction so beware of Them!

[JurgenG]

I've also been bitten by one of these big black ants. It was really painful and lasted for a couple of hours, I'd say it's comparable to an hornet bite.

[61guitarman61]

What part of Thailand are these ants in? I've been bitten by the red ants and they really can dig in also with pain that lasts a while but not to te extent of what you described.

[meadish_sweetball]

The red ants love mango trees. Picking mangoes can be a painful experience. But definitely not comparable to Euro wasps or hornets.

[transam]

Thought it was the red ones that bite , well they bite me all the time, but never by the black ones.

[GarryP]

As far as I know, there aren't any bullet ant species in Thailand. We only have those that bite. Most ant bites don't affect me much at all, but boy those solitary black ants pack something powerful in their bite. Definitely to be avoided. Hope the OP's daughter recovered quickly and is not scared to go out in the garden now.

[PoorSucker]

The red ones are Weaver ants.

Never encountered the black ones you describe.

[canuckamuck]

There is a type of ant here that is kind of blue black, it has a stinger and packs a painful sting, when I got stung the swelling lasted a couple of days. They are the same size as the weaver ant.

Then there is one that is black on the ends and dark brown in the middle(thorax), that my wife says is even worse, it is also the size of the weaver ant.

Both of these come from small colonies, the blue black ones live in dead wood.

Both of these types ants can appear black if you don't look too close.

Edited January 28, 2011 by canuckamuck

[Beetlejuice]

Yes, these little blighters really do pack a powerful bite.

Not so severe as the red ant bites, but can be quite serious if you are allergic.

THEM - 1954

[JurgenG]

I found the main problem is not how painful is the bite but how long it lasts.

Red ant's bite burns but is over within seconds, with black ant you still feel the pain two hours later and I'm not an allergic person.

[mstribling]

Avoid them. The black ones do not F around!

[Thongkorn]

Stay clear of them I have seen them many times in the Jungles of South Thailand , think they use to be called solder ants , they will swarm around you if you stand long enough in there way. they don't actually bite, they nip you with there mandibles, then spray sulfuric acid onto the nip , it feels like a bite but not actually. All ants do the same nip and spray. I like to eat the honey ants they are very nutritious. the red ones are Fire ants stay clear of them too.