Fire ant bites are itchy, stinging and bothersome. These bites come from small, reddish-brown ants that can be found in many areas around the world. They love to swarm and definitely follow the army ant stereotype.

One of the worst things about fire ants is their aggressive nature. A single ant can—and will—bite you several times if given the chance. Their attacks feel and act much more like stings than bites. The ant will clamp into your skin with its powerful mandibles and arch its back, piercing you with its stinger.

Fire Ant Bite Treatment

• Remove the ants. The first thing you want to do if you’ve been bitten by fire ants is make sure to remove each and every ant from your body. Aggressively brush the ants from your skin and remove yourself from the infested area.
• Wash the bite area. Use mild soap and warm water to help gently wash some of the venom away if you have been bitten by fire ants. This also helps clean the skin around the bite, reducing your chances of an infection.
• Apply a cold compress. Use a damp washcloth or a rag filled with ice and press it against the fire ant bite. This will help reduce swelling and ease the pain. Keep the compress on the bite area for up to ten minutes at a time.
• Stop the itching. Fire ant bites can itch and sting, which often results in someone scratching the bite. However, scratching can tear the skin and lead to infection. Stop the itching before it becomes too bothersome by using anti-itch ointments on the bite area and/or taking oral antihistamines.

Fire Ant Bite Home Treatment
After you take care of the initial fire ant bite, you need to be good about follow up care. You don’t need any fancy lotions to help ease the itch and heal the bite. Try rubbing pure aloe vera onto the bite area as needed to help alleviate itching and speed along healing. Adding baking soda or oatmeal to your bath water also helps soothe the itch.

When to Seek Medical Help for Fire Ant Bites
If you are allergic to fire ants or tend to have allergic reactions to insect bites, it’s important to seek medical help if you’re bitten. If you carry an epinephrine auto-injector device on your person, it’s important to use it before your symptoms become too severe. Inject the epinephrine immediately, but still seek medical help for proper treatment.

If you’ve never had an allergic reaction to insect bites, but experience major swelling, difficultly breathing or difficulty swallowing after a fire ant bite, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately.