Tue
Jun 13 2006
09:32 am
Fire Ant Defense
By: bizgrrl

Although there appears to be no real and permanent method for us to defend ourselves from fire ant encroachment, there is a "myrmecologist — a biologist who specializes in ants" defending fire ants.

Tschinkel says, "people should just leave them alone unless allergic to their venom. Otherwise they do no harm". I don't believe this for a minute. Try walking through a field and not looking down to avoid a fire ant hill. You stop to admire a scene or just rest. Fire ants are fast and plenty. Before you know it your ankle and foot are covered, you are stung many times in the process of trying to brush off the ants. The sting hurts and you have multiple wounds. Days later your wounds still look like you are recovering from leprosy.

Tschinkel has spent 35 years studying fire ants. He now has a 723 page book on this topic. Scientists/academics sure have interesting lives.

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Tess's picture

Here?

Submitted by Tess (not verified) on Tue, 2006/06/13 - 9:54am.

Do we have fire ants in Knoxville?  I hope not.  How do you tell them from regular ants?

Tess's picture

Something else to worry about!

Submitted by Tess (not verified) on Tue, 2006/06/13 - 10:17am.

I found this in the Q&A section on a website about fire ants.  Yikes!  They will burn you out.  Maybe that is why they are called "fire" ants.

12. Why are fire ants attracted to electrical circuit boxes and electric motors? Is that dangerous?

One of the greatest economic impacts and dangers posed by RIFA results from short circuits and fires in electrical systems after fire ants move into circuit breakers, relays, motors, and other electrical devices. Why the ants are drawn to them is still something of a mystery.

rikki's picture

they're tiny

Submitted by rikki on Tue, 2006/06/13 - 11:25am.

My one encounter with fire ants was on a farm near La Grange, TX. A meadow area was full of their nests, and I was in sandals. They are tiny, red ants so small you are not likely to notice them until they sting you. I got stung a lot, but only by a few at a time, not a whole swarm. It's just a tiny dose of formic acid, no big deal.

I doubt we will have them around here unless the climate changes. Oh wait... 

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