Scientists Ring Alarm Bell Over Venomous Ants In America Whose Sting Could Be Deadly

Scientists are ringing the alarm bells over venomous ants in America, whose sting is definitely worse than their bite. These ants can cause anaphylaxis in certain people, making them deadly.

We're talking about the Asian needle ant, which is native to well Asia. The ants hopped a boat and made their way to America over 90 years ago. But scientists are warning that the population has boomed in recent years. This presents a unique problem to those with allergies like myself. The sting can trigger an anaphylactic reaction.

Symptoms of the reaction involve swelling around the tongue, mouth, and throat. This essentially closes one's airway, making it impossible to breathe, and can lead to death. A very dramatic and painful way to die, to be sure, or so I'm told. Fortunately, the species of ant isn't particularly aggressive, but it does pack one whopper of a stinger.

Ants In American

The stinger can pierce clothes and go directly to the skin. "We are now considering it a medically important pest," Dan Suiter, a professor of urban entomology at the University of Georgia, told Fox Weather. "It gets a little bit more serious when the sting of an insect can be life-threatening to people who suffer anaphylaxis."

Last year, the state of Georgia suffered several cases of people developing anaphylaxis due to the ants. Now, as we go into 2025, the ants have been spotted all throughout the Southeast. Thanks to their high degree of adaptability, they are able to withstand both the cold and the heat. They make themselves at home near your home. Typically, they nest under doormats or in leaf piles.