Field Guide to Venomous and Medically Important Invertebrates ...

Bullet ants are large (~1 inch or 25 mm long) ants occurring in Central and South America, and
they are capable of inflicting excruciatingly painful stings that leave swollen, fluid-filled
wounds. Paraponera clavata is considered to have the most painful and crippling sting of any
ant species. Pain may come in waves for up to 24 hours following the sting, and it sometimes is
accompanied by parathesia, vomiting, trembling, and severe inflammation.
Figure 124. Bullet ant (Paraponera clavata). Photo: Scott Camazine.
Fire ants- both the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) and black imported fire ant
(Solenopsis richteri) are aggressive ants that construct large colonies. Fire ants aggressively
defend their mounds, and they will inflict painful bites and stings in response to such
disturbances. When a fire ant attacks they first pinch the victim with their mandibles, and then
begin stinging. A single ant may sting several times in succession and usually in a line or
semicircular pattern. Other species of fire ants, including forms native to the United States can
also inflict painful stings, but these species are much less common and seldom encountered.
Figure 125. Fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). Photo: USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Figure 126. Fire ant mound. Photo: Texas A&M University.
The initial reaction to a fire ant sting is an intense burning sensation followed shortly thereafter
by the formation of a wheal up to 0.5 inch (13 mm) in diameter followed by itching and
swelling. Approximately 4 hours or more after these initial symptoms, fluid-filled vesicles begin
forming. These vesicles form white necrotic lesions or pustules after roughly 24 hours.
Pustules may last for week or more, and, if broken, itch intensly. After these wounds heal, a