According to the Orkin Company, though non a native species inward North America, the ruddy imported plough over the axe pismire has go a mutual nuisance throughout the southern United States, ranging from Florida to California together with every bit far N every bit Oklahoma together with Virginia. The ruddy imported plough over the axe pismire (Solenopsis invicta) was accidentally brought into the the States inward the 1930s via a shipment of cargo. Initially transplanted into Alabama, they accept spread together with thrived throughout the southern states alongside the warm climate together with lack of predators.
Fire ants favor warm, sunny conditions. They prefer dry out fields together with avoid shady areas such every bit woods. Typical mounds tin grow upward to 61 cm inward diameter together with eighteen cm high. These colonies tin comprise several hundred grand ants, including at to the lowest degree i queen.
When attacking, plough over the axe ants kickoff operate their mandibles to travelling pocket their prey, together with and then inject venom through a stinger. Fire pismire stings are painful for most humans together with 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 together with results inward ruddy bumps together with white pustules, which tin ultimately Pb to scarring.
The sensation of a plough over the axe pismire plough over the axe has been described every bit “stinging” together with “intense burning,” together with plough over the axe ants are known to assault potential threats or prey inward large numbers. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 plough over the axe pismire colony may comprise 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 inward the lawsuit of plough over the axe pismire activity. Professionals tin care lawn infestations piece 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 depression temperature snaps inward many traditionally mild areas of the U.S. accept prompted questions concerning Imported Fire Ant endurance inward the frigid wintertime weather, according to this website: http://www.extension.org/pages/70330/extreme-temperatures-affect-fire-ants . It’s hard to expose plough over the axe ants to lethal temperatures because they motility inside the mound to avoid temperature extremes. When temperatures drop, plough over 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 inward the mound. Persistent mutual depression temperature temperatures are required to impact plough over the axe pismire populations.
Fire ants driblet dead rapidly when exposed to temperatures inward the teens or lower. Cold impacts on plough over the axe pismire populations are localized. Fire pismire mounds located nigh homes together with other estrus sinks volition live protected from the colder temperatures to around extent. Even if around colonies die, others volition survive. Over time, nether optimal conditions, population densities volition rebound to pre-existing levels or larger.
A driblet inward visible activity does non e'er hateful a decreased population. On warmer days later the recent mutual depression temperature snap, dead plough over the axe ants workers were establish on the go yesteryear of mound indicating around ants had survived to motility the dead ants out of the colony. When the atmospheric condition warms in i lawsuit to a greater extent than inward the spring, it volition live of import to proceed to lookout for mounds. Problems arise when the perceived driblet inward population causes population management to cease.
For to a greater extent than data most the effects of temperatures on Fire Ants, banking concern fit 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 plough over the axe pismire sting is a ‘mildly painful’ sense that would rapidly live forgotten were it non for the ‘mildly irritating’ pustule, according to Mississippi State University Extension Service. Unfortunately, a stinging reckon alongside plough over the axe ants usually involves to a greater extent than than i ant, together with each twelvemonth many people accept the sense of beingness stung yesteryear dozens, or fifty-fifty hundreds, of plough over the axe ants.
The hurting together with irritation associated alongside a unmarried sting is multiplied many flexure inward such incidents. Most people recover from such encounters alongside no lasting sick effects, together with it is solely when such stinging incidents involve many hundreds or thousands of stings that they go really threatening. But incidents of this magnitude produce occasionally occur, usually involving people who are less mobile due to age, accident or infirmity.
Although a few plough over the axe pismire stings produce non constitute a medical emergency for most people, a really pocket-size per centum of people prepare allergic reactions to plough over the axe pismire venom. These vary inward intensity, but inward the most extreme cases fifty-fifty a few stings tin resultant inward the life-threatening status known every bit anaphylaxis. Each twelvemonth at that spot are cases of human fatalities resulting from plough over the axe pismire stings, either due to anaphylaxis or to massive numbers of stings occurring on people who are incapacitated.
Given the hurting together with discomfort that tin resultant from fifty-fifty a few plough over the axe pismire stings, it is fortunate that plough over the axe ants produce non commonly aggressively essay out together with assault human beings. The vast bulk of stinging events tumble out when people inadvertently ‘attack’ the plough over the axe ants, usually yesteryear unknowingly stepping in, lying in, or otherwise disturbing the mound. The ants perceive this disturbance every bit a straight assault together with the workers rapidly 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, together with reaction to, the sting. Wash the exposed expanse alongside enough of lather together with water. Do non operate alcohol to launder the area. Wash eyes alongside enough of H2O if whatever toxin gets inward them. For mild stings, identify H2O ice (wrapped inward a washcloth or other suitable covering) on the seize alongside teeth expanse for 10 minutes together with and then off for 10 minutes. Repeat this process. If the patient has circulatory problems, decrease the fourth dimension to foreclose possible impairment to the skin.
Some people are really allergic to plough over the axe pismire venom. If the reaction is severe, essay immediate medical help together with telephone telephone your local emergency expose (such every bit 911) or toxicant control. Those who accept an allergy to insect bites or stings should acquit a bee sting kit (which requires a prescription) together with go familiar alongside how to operate it inward the lawsuit of an emergency.
The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) tin live called from anywhere inward the United States. This national hotline expose volition permit you lot verbalize to experts inward poisoning. They volition plough over you lot farther instructions. This is a gratis together with confidential service. All local toxicant command centers inward the the States operate this national number. You should telephone telephone if you lot accept whatever questions most poisoning or toxicant prevention. It does NOT bespeak to live an emergency. You tin telephone telephone for whatever reason, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The wellness aid provider dealing alongside plough over the axe pismire bites measures together with monitors the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, together with blood pressure. The wound volition live treated every bit appropriate. The sooner appropriate handling is started, the ameliorate the outcome. Patients non allergic to plough over the axe ants should live completely fine inward 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 pismire bites tin live painful, together with most people don’t accept many later affects other than around localized bumps together with 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 plough over the axe pismire bites, essay medical attending every bit rapidly every bit possible to avoid whatever serious wellness emergencies. And, stock upward on plough over the axe pismire bait from your local dwelling theater improvement store. Plus, only inward case, hold the toxicant command hotline on speed dial.
Until side yesteryear side time.