According to the Orkin Company, though non a native species inwards North America, the ruddy imported give the axe emmet has go a mutual nuisance throughout the southern United States, ranging from Florida to California in addition to every bit far N every bit Oklahoma in addition to Virginia. The ruddy imported give the axe emmet (Solenopsis invicta) was accidentally brought into the USA inwards the 1930s via a shipment of cargo. Initially transplanted into Alabama, they bring spread in addition to thrived throughout the southern states alongside the warm climate in addition to lack of predators.
Fire ants favor warm, sunny conditions. They prefer dry out fields in addition to avoid shady areas such every bit woods. Typical mounds tin grow upward to 61 cm inwards diameter in addition to eighteen cm high. These colonies tin incorporate several hundred one m ants, including at to the lowest degree i queen.
When attacking, give the axe ants kickoff run their mandibles to travelling steal their prey, in addition to and so inject venom through a stinger. Fire emmet stings are painful for most humans in addition to fatal to some: if a victim experiences a severe reaction such every bit sweating, nausea or excessive itching, emergency medical services should live contacted immediately. Their sting, which includes alkaloid venom, is highly irritating to humans in addition to results inwards ruddy bumps in addition to white pustules, which tin ultimately atomic number 82 to scarring.
The sensation of a give the axe emmet burn downwards has been described every bit “stinging” in addition to “intense burning,” in addition to give the axe ants are known to laid upward on potential threats or prey inwards large numbers. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 give the axe emmet colony may incorporate 100,000 to 500,000 insects, hence increasing the likelihood that multiple stings volition live inflicted. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 pest command way should live contacted inwards the trial of give the axe emmet activity. Professionals tin care lawn infestations spell securing homes against indoor invasions. More data tin live establish at this website: http://www.orkin.com/ants/fire-ant/ .
This twelvemonth especially, persistent mutual coldness snaps inwards many traditionally mild areas of the U.S. bring prompted questions concerning Imported Fire Ant endurance inwards the frigid wintertime weather, according to this website: http://www.extension.org/pages/70330/extreme-temperatures-affect-fire-ants . It’s hard to discover give the axe ants to lethal temperatures because they motility inside the mound to avoid temperature extremes. When temperatures drop, give the axe ants motility deeper into the warmer soil below the surface to avoid the cold. However, if the temperatures driblet rapidly they may non live able to avoid the cold, specially if moisture soil prevents them from moving deeper inwards the mound. Persistent mutual coldness temperatures are required to impact give the axe emmet populations.
Fire ants popular off apace when exposed to temperatures inwards the teens or lower. Cold impacts on give the axe emmet populations are localized. Fire emmet mounds located close homes in addition to other rut sinks volition live protected from the colder temperatures to unopen to extent. Even if unopen to colonies die, others volition survive. Over time, nether optimal conditions, population densities volition rebound to pre-existing levels or larger.
A driblet inwards visible activity does non ever hateful a decreased population. On warmer days later the recent mutual coldness snap, dead give the axe ants workers were establish on the overstep of mound indicating unopen to ants had survived to motility the dead ants out of the colony. When the conditions warms i time again inwards the spring, it volition live of import to laissez passer on off to spotter for mounds. Problems arise when the perceived driblet inwards population causes population administration to cease.
For to a greater extent than data nearly the effects of temperatures on Fire Ants, banking concern agree out the FAQ questions on eXtension.org at http://www.extension.org/pages/34823/will-a-hard-winter-kill-fire-ants#.UvkDURbinNA .
For most people a unmarried give the axe emmet sting is a ‘mildly painful’ sense that would apace live forgotten were it non for the ‘mildly irritating’ pustule, according to Mississippi State University Extension Service. Unfortunately, a stinging run into alongside give the axe ants usually involves to a greater extent than than i ant, in addition to each twelvemonth many people bring the sense of existence stung yesteryear dozens, or fifty-fifty hundreds, of give the axe ants.
The hurting in addition to irritation associated alongside a unmarried sting is multiplied many crease inwards such incidents. Most people recover from such encounters alongside no lasting sick effects, in addition to it is exclusively when such stinging incidents involve many hundreds or thousands of stings that they go really threatening. But incidents of this magnitude create occasionally occur, usually involving people who are less mobile due to age, accident or infirmity.
Although a few give the axe emmet stings create non constitute a medical emergency for most people, a real minor share of people railroad train allergic reactions to give the axe emmet venom. These vary inwards intensity, but inwards the most extreme cases fifty-fifty a few stings tin final result inwards the life-threatening status known every bit anaphylaxis. Each twelvemonth at that spot are cases of human fatalities resulting from give the axe emmet stings, either due to anaphylaxis or to massive numbers of stings occurring on people who are incapacitated.
Given the hurting in addition to discomfort that tin final result from fifty-fifty a few give the axe emmet stings, it is fortunate that give the axe ants create non commonly aggressively essay out in addition to laid upward on human beings. The vast bulk of stinging events occur when people inadvertently ‘attack’ the give the axe ants, usually yesteryear unknowingly stepping in, lying in, or otherwise disturbing the mound. The ants perceive this disturbance every bit a straight laid upward on in addition to the workers apace react en masse to defend their colony. More information tin live establish at this site: http://msucares.com/insects/fireants/sting.html .
According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), home handling depends on the place of, in addition to reaction to, the sting. Wash the exposed expanse alongside enough of lather in addition to water. Do non run alcohol to launder the area. Wash eyes alongside enough of H2O if whatsoever toxin gets inwards them. For mild stings, identify H2O ice (wrapped inwards a washcloth or other suitable covering) on the seize alongside teeth expanse for 10 minutes in addition to and so off for 10 minutes. Repeat this process. If the patient has circulatory problems, decrease the fourth dimension to preclude possible harm to the skin.
Some people are real allergic to give the axe emmet venom. If the reaction is severe, essay immediate medical help in addition to telephone telephone your local emergency publish (such every bit 911) or poisonous substance control. Those who bring an allergy to insect bites or stings should behavior a bee sting kit (which requires a prescription) in addition to go familiar alongside how to run it inwards the trial of an emergency.
The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) tin live called from anywhere inwards the United States. This national hotline publish volition permit you lot verbalize to experts inwards poisoning. They volition give you lot farther instructions. This is a complimentary in addition to confidential service. All local poisonous substance command centers inwards the USA run this national number. You should telephone telephone if you lot bring whatsoever questions nearly poisoning or poisonous substance prevention. It does NOT ask to live an emergency. You tin telephone telephone for whatsoever reason, 24 hours a day, vii days a week.
The wellness attention provider dealing alongside give the axe emmet bites measures in addition to monitors the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, in addition to blood pressure. The wound volition live treated every bit appropriate. The sooner appropriate handling is started, the improve the outcome. Patients non allergic to give the axe ants should live completely fine inwards a few hours to a few days. More details tin live establish at this website: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002843.htm .
Fire emmet bites tin live painful, in addition to most people don’t bring many later affects other than unopen to localized bumps in addition to brief reactions to them. More than anything, the affected expanse is a nuisance that goes away later a brusk time. However, for those individuals who endure from allergies to give the axe emmet bites, essay medical attending every bit apace every bit possible to avoid whatsoever serious wellness emergencies. And, stock upward on give the axe emmet bait from your local habitation improvement store. Plus, simply inwards case, maintain the poisonous substance command hotline on speed dial.
Until side yesteryear side time.
