Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypes of AntsCommon SymptomsSevere SymptomsTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types of Ants
Common Symptoms
Severe Symptoms
Treatment
Prevention
Ant bites are common and, while occasionally painful, are rarely severe. There are several types of ants in the United States that bite, includingfire ants, harvester ants, carpenter ants, and field ants.
Serious reactions, like allergies, are rare but can occur and may even be life-threatening. This is most common with fire ant bites, which can lead to a severe, whole-body allergy known asanaphylaxis. Any ant bite that causes extreme swelling and breathing difficulties should be treated as a medical emergency.
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Types of Ants That Bite
There are over 12,000 species of ants around the world.In the United States, the types of ants that are most likely to bite or sting you include:
Fire Ants
Common to the southern United States,fire ants(Solenopsisspecies)are known as especially aggressive to humans. These bright red, venomous ants typically sting around seven to eight times in a circular pattern. Their stings cause pinching, burning pain that eventually turns into intense itching.
Harvester Ants
Harvester ants (Pogonomyrmexspecies) thrive in bare soil in California and states west of the Mississippi River, as well as just Florida on the East Coast. These ants may be brown, red, or black. Like fire ants, harvester ants are venomous and carry a painful sting.
Carpenter Ants
Field Ants
Field ants (Formicaspecies) build their mounds outdoors, often in open fields. There are many different species of field ants, which can be black or red. They may bite humans, dogs, or cats if disturbed. However, their bites are usually harmless and cause no more than a brief pinching sensation.
What Do Ant Bites Look Like?
Ant bite stings usually cause localized swelling and redness that look like welts. The welts are typically less than 2 inches in diameter. You may have just one welt or several, depending on how many bites you get.
Alongside redness and swelling, common ant bite symptoms include:
Some people have less severe reactions and may only recognize an ant sting when they happen upon one or more itchy, pimple-like bumps that easily pop when scratched.
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How to Tell If an Ant Bite Is Serious
While uncommon, a bite from certain ants can cause a potentially serious allergic reaction. This is especially true of fire ants, whose venom can cause a hypersensitive reaction in people allergic to the venom.
Anaphylaxis typically develops 30 to 40 minutes after a bite, causing a cascade of rapidly developing and increasing severe symptoms. If not treated as a medical emergency, anaphylaxis can lead to coma, shock, sudden respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, and death.
The treatment of ant bites varies based on their severity. Most cases, while aggravating, are not serious and can be treated at home.
Those that are serious (either causing a severe allergy or covering a large part of the body) may require urgent medical care. This is especially true of younger children who receive extensive bites on their body.
Home Remedies and Self-Care
OTC Medications
Should You Pop Ant Bites?Although it may be tempting to pop a pustule after an ant bite, it is best to leave it alone. Popping a pustule could introduce bacteria into the skin, leading to an infection.If you find it hard to avoid scratching, trim your nails closely and wear cotton gloves at night to avoid scratching in your sleep. Calamine lotion can also help.
Should You Pop Ant Bites?
Although it may be tempting to pop a pustule after an ant bite, it is best to leave it alone. Popping a pustule could introduce bacteria into the skin, leading to an infection.If you find it hard to avoid scratching, trim your nails closely and wear cotton gloves at night to avoid scratching in your sleep. Calamine lotion can also help.
Although it may be tempting to pop a pustule after an ant bite, it is best to leave it alone. Popping a pustule could introduce bacteria into the skin, leading to an infection.
If you find it hard to avoid scratching, trim your nails closely and wear cotton gloves at night to avoid scratching in your sleep. Calamine lotion can also help.
Prescription Drugs and Therapies
Prescription drugs are less commonly used and are mainly reserved for people with severe reactions to ant bites. This is especially true of people with symptoms of anaphylaxis who need emergency treatment to reduce the risk ofanaphylactic shockand death.
Anaphylaxis is typically treated in a hospital with the following drugs and therapies:
People with a history of anaphylaxis should carry an epinephrine auto-injector, called anEpiPen, with them wherever they go so they can inject themselves at the first signs of symptoms. Sometimes more than one shot is needed.
How Many EpiPens Should I Carry?
The best way to prevent ant bites is to avoid the environments they’re most likely to inhabit. There are other things you can do to mitigate your risk, especially if you or your child has a history of severe allergic reactions to bug bites:
Summary
Ant bites and stings usually aren’t a reason for serious concern, but they can be itchy and painful. Over-the-counter pain relief medications and topical steroid creams can relieve some of your symptoms.
Get medical help as soon as possible if your symptoms worsen or spread to other parts of your body. If you notice any signs of a serious allergic reaction—such as shortness of breath, throat swelling, or a racing heart—seek emergency medical treatment.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Environmental Services Pest Control.Types of ants that bite humans.
Seattle Children’s Hospital.Fire ant sting.
American Association of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Fire ant allergy.
MedlinePlus.Fire ants.
National Pest Management Association.Harvester ants.
National Pest Management Association.Signs of carpenter ants.
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Fire ant bites.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.Anaphylaxis.
American College of Allergies, Asthma, and Immunology.Insect sting allergies.
Lopez DJ, Winkel KD, Wanandy T, van Nunen S, Perrett KP, Lowe AJ.The human health impacts of the red imported fire ant in the western Pacific region context: a narrative review.Trop Med Infect Dis.2024 Apr 9(4):69. doi:10.3390/tropicalmed9040069
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