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Thu 25 Mar, 2010 11:08 am
I think there must be a target on my back---stuff keeps happening to me.
Monday night, about 8 pm, I discovered ants on my kitchen counter. As I tried to remove things on the counter so I could remove the ants, five of them climbed on to my left hand, biting me. I realized they were fire ants too late. By midnight, the burning and stinging had swollen my left hand and rist so much that Butrflynet had to drive me to the hospital emergency department for doctor treatment. We waited for four hours for our turn and were there until 6 am. Doctor took blood samples because I'm still on coumadin and to test for the ant toxin, and injected Benadral into my vein to reduce the swelling. Today, three days later, the swelling has gone down but not completly. I'm taking Benadral pills and an antibotic.
I didn't know the nasty critters were active in late March where we still have cold wealther including snow. I hate the damn things. Butrflynet arranged for Orkin to spray our house and yard this afternoon. They say their treatment won't endanger Dolly and Madison doggies, which we are concerned about.
I can't stand much more of this "fun" and wish I would lose the target on my back.
BBB
interesting, we've seen quite a few sugar ants the past few days but no fire ants, I will keep a close eye out.
oh man, fire ant bites are awful.
sorry to hear of this.
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
(adds another reason to list of those on list of reasons not to live in deserts...)
be safe BBB.
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
Yowza! Sounds quite horrible!
You sure have your share of "stuff" happening to you, haven't you?
Hope you recover soon.
Wow! Very sorry to hear this, BBB.
Take care!
@JPB,
We were in a project in Georgia many years ago and one of the field guys was standing on a nest of fire ants. They apparently crawled up his socks and onto his leg. QWhen he finally felt them, they stung him like all at once.
He hadda be hospitalized because his immunity was just ovrwhelmed by the toxin amount.
Theres several other strains including "Acrobat ants" that ew get in MAine. These are a Northern version of fire ants and they can live in the cold.
The insect shall inherit the earth
They are a big problem here. It's a constant fight.
@farmerman,
Farmerman, I was bitten by fire ants on my leg for the first time about four years ago, but it didn't cause any serious swelling. The doctor told me that each fire ant bite toxin episode increases the chance of future serious bite swelling and risk. I guess I should start wearing total body covering clothing. Won't I look cute?
BBB
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
fire ants are wasps without wings. You can bcome increasingly less immune to the toxin with each attack. Especially if the numbers of bites increase each time.
TEA TREE helps insectr bites for me but Im now allergic to wasps.
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
Can we all start calling you Mummy?
@farmerman,
farmerman wrote:We were in a project in Georgia many years ago and one of the field guys was standing on a nest of fire ants. They apparently crawled up his socks and onto his leg. QWhen he finally felt them, they stung him like all at once.
My understanding is that in addition to a toxin, the sting releases a pheromone that tells other nearby fire ants to sting as well.
@farmerman,
japanese sea lions and bourbon crested starlings go extinct, but these lill red rat bastids stick around?
no justice...
hope you feel better, BBB...
Fire ants are amongst what I call "creatures of Pandora's box". We could probably eliminate most if not all such at this point if we put our minds to it .
@gungasnake,
The problem with trying to eliminate fire ants in your yard is that you poison the land and they just pick up and move to the neighbors yard til things quiet down.
I've given up trying to eradicate them. I told em I was going to share the land with them. Since then there's been a fragile peace.
My tolerance for their bites has grown over the years and I can tolerate 50 or more bites without swooning.
BBB however,...you should be careful.
@panzade,
Quote:The problem with trying to eliminate fire ants in your yard is that you poison the land and they just pick up and move to the neighbors yard til things quiet down.
strangely enough, this is not a deal breaker for me. I poured a bucket full of poison over a mound, and enjoyed it immensely.
It is a never-ending parade of fun here in ABQ!
The interesting thing about the benadryl that she's taking for the fire ant bites is it seems to also be relieving a majority of her joint pains in the hip, back and knee the last few days.
Won't that be an interesting side benefit to the fire ant bites...
Best way to get rid of those bastards is boiling water RIGHT On the nest.
No chemicals. they avoid and or survive them
boil those little mf's . God I hate those things.
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