Caution!
If you're on the side of the road, on the grass, in the park......
See this little mound of dirt
Don't touch it! Don't step on it!
Because that's probably a nest for red fire ants
recently
Mr. Chen from Guangdong went back to his hometown of Shaoguan to sweep the grave
When clearing weeds and mounds
Bitten by red fire ants
Then a lump and rash began to appear on the body
Convulsions began on the way down
Fainted in the grass
It is understood
When Mr. Chan arrived at the hospital, he was in shock
Fortunately, the rescue was timely
to be out of danger
Red fire ants, originally distributed in the Paraná River Basin of South America, are recognized as one of the 100 most dangerous invasive species in the world.
According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, in 2016, red fire ants invaded 281 counties (cities and districts) in 11 provinces, and by 2023, the data will change to 625 counties (cities and districts) in 12 provinces, and 344 counties and cities will be newly invaded in 7 years, and the spread rate is still very fast.
Morphology of red fire ant worker ants under the microscope
Unlike ordinary ants, red fire ants are very aggressive. When a red fire ant stings, it will bite the skin with the upper jaw forceps, pierce it with a tail needle and release venom, and the bite will have a burning pain, followed by redness, swelling and suppuration, and some people with allergies may go into shock or even die.
Red fire ants are extremely fertile and have few natural predators on the mainland. Spring is the active period for red fire ants, so be careful to avoid being bitten by red fire ants when you go out.
How to prevent red fire ant bites
Be prepared for ant protection
When you go out, you should try to wear long pants, long sleeves, high-waisted shoes, long socks, and rain boots if necessary to prevent red fire ants from biting your bare skin or crawling onto your body.
Keep it clean
Avoid eating outdoors or leaving food on the ground as the food is likely to attract red fire ants. Keeping the environment clean can effectively reduce the appearance of red fire ants.
Learn to identify red fire ant nests
Pay attention to the terrain, red fire ants have a more obvious feature is that they will build ant nests, see small piles of loose mud raised on the grass, like arched sandbags, do not step on them, it is likely to be the nest of red fire ants.
What to do if you are bitten by a red fire ant
If you are accidentally bitten by red fire ants, don't think that scratching and scratching are over, you must deal with it scientifically.
1. Never try to pinch the red fire ants with your hands, the red fire ants will attack with poisonous needles many times, be sure to pat the red fire ants with a handkerchief or towel to prevent further injury.
2. Immediately after the injury, rinse the stabbed area with cold water, which can not only wash away part of the venom, but also prevent other bacteria from entering the body through the wound.
3. Antihistamines and corticosteroid creams can be applied to reduce swelling and pain.
4. Try to rest and do not move for a few hours after being stabbed. If you experience generalized itching, hives, dizziness, nausea, sweating, shortness of breath, etc., it may be a sign of anaphylactic shock and should be treated by medical attention immediately.
People's Daily Science Tips
Recently, there has been a high incidence of red fire ants
Pay attention to precautions when going out
Source: National Emergency Broadcasting Comprehensive Science Popularization China, Nanfang Daily