Fire Ant Bite Treatment

Fire ants are one of the most feared ant species living in Central TN. These ants are notorious for delivering fiery-hot bites, but this is actually a bit of a misconception. Fire ants technically do bite you, but this is only to latch on to your body to deliver a more powerful and venomous sting.

You might be thinking, “I don’t care how they do it, it hurts!” We’re here to provide you with treatment tips to heal up your fire ant bites in no time. We also want to teach you how to avoid issues with fire ants going forward. Read on to learn how to treat fire ant bites with expert advice from The Bug Man.

What Do Fire Ant Bites Look Like?

When a fire ant crawls up your arm or leg to sting you, they will first latch on with their mandibles, delivering a small pinch that’s followed by a series of stings. The ant usually won’t stop stinging until it is removed. A red welt will form at first but then recede into a smaller blister. It will likely fill with pus over the next day. If you leave them alone, fire ant stings will usually be itchy, but heal on their own over the next few days. However, more serious symptoms can occur in some cases. These include:

• Swelling in a more expansive region around the bite
• Swelling of the throat and tongue
• Nausea and stomach cramps
• Tightness in the chest and difficulty breathing

Those that are allergic to fire ant venom can experience anaphylaxis after a sting. In this case, seek medical attention immediately.

How to Treat Fire Ant Bites

At-home treatments for fire ant bites should be reserved for cases of mild symptoms. These treatment strategies work the same for a number of different bug bite symptoms, including those of mosquitoes, bees, waps, and more. Try these on your own:

1. Purchase over-the-counter creams with hydrocortisone to relieve itchiness and swelling
2. Take an antihistamine for sites that have become notably swollen
3. Make a paste of baking soda or oatmeal and water to apply to the site to soothe itchiness
4. Use a cold compress for pain relief—20 minutes on, 20 minutes off
5. Apply a triple antibiotic ointment to protect yourself from infection if you have scratched at your blisters and opened them up.

Fire Ant Control in Central TN

Fire ants swarm in large numbers to attack people that they think might be threatening their colony. If you see red ants pouring out of a new dirt mound in your yard, you have a fire ant problem, and it’s best to leave their removal to professional ant exterminators. The Bug Man can conduct safe and efficient fire ant control in Central TN and teach you how to prevent further infestations down the road. Contact us today for a free quote!