Relatively diminutive, dim and gleaming, the Asian needle ant is easy to identify. The ends of their legs and feelers are a pale orange.(Image credit: Clarence Holmes Wildlife via Alamy)ShareShare by:
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Across the U.S. Southeast and elsewhere, rapidly spreading are invading ants whose venomous sting may result in deadly reactions for individuals — and specialists are becoming more and more concerned.
For quite some time following their arrival to the U.S. approximately a century prior, Asian needle ants (Brachyponera chinensis) were mainly unnoticed, but recently entomologists have recorded their dispersion from a small number of southeastern states toward New England plus the Midwest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that Asian needle ants have the capacity to take over a multitude of temperate forests located in North America, and now that spring swarming season is almost here, there is a chance of these ants instigating medical crises all over the country.
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Suiter stated he has recently observed an upswing in the count of Asian needle ant stings. As opposed to the count from years prior, he informed Fox Weather that in 2024, he had gotten three separate calls from individuals with reported anaphylaxis due to the stings from Asian needle ants.
Following exposure to specific medicines, consumables or insect stings, anaphylaxis occurs rapidly and is an intense, whole-body allergic reaction. According to the Mayo Clinic, manifestations include a quick but faint heartbeat, skin inflammation, nausea and regurgitation. Anaphylaxis has the potential to be deadly due to the fact that it stimulates the immune system to release a deluge of substances that clamp down on airways, obstructing respiration. These substances also bring about a concerning drop in blood pressure, which elevates the odds of cardiac arrest.
Ants are prevalent insects, yet “it escalates when insect bites can be fatal to those who endure anaphylaxis,” remarked Suiter. It isn’t clear the total number of fatalities caused by Asian needle ant stings worldwide or within the U.S. ever since they first appeared.
Asian needle ants are small, gleaming, dark brown-to-black-colored ants originating from China, Japan, along with Korea. Subsequent to their importation by vessel, they were first documented within the U.S. in 1932, but by then they were already found in a minimum of three states throughout the southeast, according to the USDA.
Asian needle ants aren’t aggressive, nor do they protect their dwellings in the same manner as fire ants (Solenopsis), though they are still capable of using a venomous sting in the event they wind up stuck inside an article of human clothing or underneath someone’s palm. Those within affected zones should pay close attention to these ants’ pale-orange antennae and tarsal segments, even though it takes a learned eye to definitively ID the species, the USDA notes.
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While there’s no predicting who may suffer anaphylaxis following an Asian needle sting, Suiter indicates that people who have unfavorable reactions to the stings of other insects or who regularly carry an EpiPen must be particularly mindful around these ants. The USDA reports that Asian needle ant stings trigger severe agony in the spot of the sting, irrespective of an individual’s proneness to anaphylaxis.
The USDA reports that certain control tactics have been implemented with the intention of restricting the expansion of Asian needle ants, though these measures are exceptionally pricey. Suiter stated that Asian needle ants typically take up residence underneath decaying wood, stones, or leafage; however, they’re also prone to residing among heaps of lumber. As opposed to other ant species, they refrain from making trails; instead, they move chaotically and independently.
“This bug kind of just meanders,” he mentioned. “It looks disoriented.”
TOPICSinvasive species
Sascha PareSocial Links NavigationStaff writer
Sascha functions as a U.K.-based staff writer with Live Science. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Southampton located in England, and also a master’s degree regarding science communication originating from Imperial College London. Her work has made its way into The Guardian as well as the health site generally known as Zoe. When not involved in her writing endeavors, she takes pleasure in tennis, bread preparation, and seeking out unique items at thrift stores.
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