Ant Bites Should I Be Worried

[krey]

So I get off my motorbike in front of my place. I start getting this stingy feeling all over my feet

I zip inside and noticed about 10 blackish red ants maybe just a shy of 1 cm long biting me. I obviously stepped in their home and they were pissed

the stinging vansihed, kind of itchy

should i be worried am i got to wake up with giant infected feet?

[philw]

Worry a lot.............

Or wash your feet.

[arthurwait]

As long as it wasn't Dec.

[BookMan]

You should not worry too much, you will probably just wake up with your regular everyday giant feet.

[BookMan]

dam_n it! now I'm starting to feel itchy!

[barefoot1988]

if you are able to post or create thread in tv, you are fine.

[BuddhistVirus]

if you are able to post or create thread in tv, you are fine.

^This

+1

[Seismic]

Currently there are 247 knows species of ant in Thailand, To my knowledge none of them can cause serious harm to humans with the number of bites you seem to have taken. I suggest you simply wash your feet thoroughly and apply a topical hydrocortisone cream or even just tiger balm or equilavent, I am sure you will be fine after a day or two.

[David006]

Currently there are 247 knows species of ant in Thailand, To my knowledge none of them can cause serious harm to humans with the number of bites you seem to have taken. I suggest you simply wash your feet thoroughly and apply a topical hydro cortisone cream or even just tiger balm or equivalent, I am sure you will be fine after a day or two.

555 yes an everyday occurrence for me some tiny little buggers get between your toes but no residual itching or sting...

There are some big black buggers here that really sting like a scorpion...live in rotting wood, bamboo ....appear on tree trunks etc......they really hurt..... lasts a few hours then swelling after about 12 hours......!

Never thought I would have to wear wellies in 40c weather........................

[Sheryl]

Currently there are 247 knows species of ant in Thailand, To my knowledge none of them can cause serious harm to humans with the number of bites you seem to have taken. I suggest you simply wash your feet thoroughly and apply a topical hydrocortisone cream or even just tiger balm or equilavent, I am sure you will be fine after a day or two.

Correct. Hurt like hell but harmless. usually the pain fades pretty quickly but if not, steroid cream will help.

And if you should ever get bitten by an ant inside your eye (as I did once), do not panic over the resulting blurred vision, it eill resolve but steroid eye drops will help it along.

Ant bites contain formic acid, that is why the sting. But the amount is small, you'd have to be completely covered with biting ants for it to seriously harm you.

[deejah]

idnetifying the red ones as poison is easy

most red ones bite

SOME black ones bite too

how do you identify those that bite from those that don't

thanks

[tropo]

I've had ant bites leave red marks for over a month and itchy for at least 2 weeks.

[cooked]

sorry OP, your feet will drop off

[tolsti]

Try wearing shoes..... just a thought.

[TommoPhysicist]

What about the red suicide bombers that jump off tree branches when you are trimming your mango trees. I hate them!

[tropo]

What about the red suicide bombers that jump off tree branches when you are trimming your mango trees. I hate them!

I don't trim mango trees - what are "red suicide bombers"?

[TommoPhysicist]

What about the red suicide bombers that jump off tree branches when you are trimming your mango trees. I hate them!

I don't trim mango trees - what are "red suicide bombers"?

Red ants jump off the branches above you, landing on your head and shoulders, then bit the &*%$ out of you.

[billd766]

The worst ones for me are the little red ants. By the times you feel them it's too late as they have stung you.

Out in the countryside where I live there is a thing called the red ant dance.

Sometime it is slow and not much action but at other times as Tommo explained above when lots of them get to you at the same time it is a bit like a whirling Dervish accompanied by screaming and swearing and looking for barrels of water to drown the little barstewards in.

It is funny to watch but not to be the victim.

[tropo]

The worst ones for me are the little red ants. By the times you feel them it's too late as they have stung you.

Ants don't sting, they bite.

[tropo]

What about the red suicide bombers that jump off tree branches when you are trimming your mango trees. I hate them!

I don't trim mango trees - what are "red suicide bombers"?

Red ants jump off the branches above you, landing on your head and shoulders, then bit the &*%$ out of you.

That's rough. I'd be paying someone else to trim my mango trees.

[Sophon]

The worst ones for me are the little red ants. By the times you feel them it's too late as they have stung you.

Ants don't sting, they bite.

Generally true, however fire ants do both bite and sting

Sophon

[Sheryl]

What about the red suicide bombers that jump off tree branches when you are trimming your mango trees. I hate them!

I don't trim mango trees - what are "red suicide bombers"?

Red ants jump off the branches above you, landing on your head and shoulders, then bit the &*%$ out of you.

Indeed. these are the ones that got me in the eye. (In my case they were in a lemon tree, and I was picking a lemon off it).

[tropo]

The worst ones for me are the little red ants. By the times you feel them it's too late as they have stung you.

Ants don't sting, they bite.

Generally true, however fire ants do both bite and sting

Sophon

OK, thanks for the education. Perhaps they were the red variety that used to sting me over in the Philippines, leaving a lump that lasted a month or so.

[Sheryl]

Some people have an unusual sensitivity to them (just as some people are allergic to bees). If the reactions are lasting a month I think you're one. Its usually a very brief reaction (though highly painful)

[how241]

You should not worry too much, you will probably just wake up with your regular everyday giant feet.

Only worry if you get a strong reaction.

[Sateev]

What about the red suicide bombers that jump off tree branches when you are trimming your mango trees. I hate them!

Those are weaver ants. They pull together ("weave") leaves of the trees they inhabit to make nests. They love mango trees, and in Isaan, the locals prize them for their edible eggs, which take their flavor from the type of tree they are caught on. Mango is best...

They do, however, have a tendency to bite, painfully.

A quick spray with a household ant poison will chase them away from that tree, at least for a while. Not exactly a 'green' solution, however...