Latest news with #AsianNeedleAnt
CBS News
02-07-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Asian needle ant's sting left Massachusetts man feeling sick: "I could feel the pain spreading."
Man says he was stung by Asian needle ant near his backyard pool Man says he was stung by Asian needle ant near his backyard pool Man says he was stung by Asian needle ant near his backyard pool A Massachusetts man said the sting of an Asian needle ant left him feeling sick. The invasive insect has been spreading across the U.S., and experts say their venomous sting can potentially be deadly. Norman Chipman was cleaning his backyard pool in Bridgewater in June when he felt a pain in his hand. "I didn't really pay attention to it until it kept stinging me," he said. "That's when I looked down and saw that it was an ant." Painful sting He shook the ant off and kept going about his business - but the sting kept hurting. "I could feel the pain spreading a little bit throughout my hand," Chipman said. "After about 20 minutes I started to just not feel well. I got a little bit of a headache, just felt lethargic." He said he continued to feel sick the next day, but has felt fine since then. Chipman said it was a "good-sized" ant, and he fished more out of his pool. He said pest control company Terminix confirmed he had Asian needle ants on his property. "I thought, this might be the one of those needle ants that are showing up on my Facebook feed," he said. "When Terminix came out, he looked at it and said, 'yeah, that looks like what we've been told about.'" The invasive Asian needle ant. American Association for the Advancement of Science Asian needle ants A Terminix scientist told WBZ-TV that Asian needle ants are outcompeting native ants in local ecosystems, and reports of them in the northeast are on the rise. They say the ants prefer wet areas like pools, and homeowners should limit moisture around their home by checking hose faucets and air conditioning for any leaks. A U.S. Forest Service report from 2021 says the ants are "beginning to cause problems in North America." It said the most troubling characteristic of the invasive species is their sting. "While they are not terribly aggressive, like the more familiar red imported fire ants, their stings are painful, often affecting different people in different ways," the report said. "In fact, the sting can result in life-threatening anaphylaxis, an acute allergic response." People who are sensitive to ant or bee stings should always keep an epinephrine auto-injection device on hand, experts say. "Unfortunately, as with many invasive species, it appears Asian needle ants are here to stay," the Forest Service said.
The Guardian
16-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Ant no stopping us now: insect with potent bite continues march across US
Last year, Dan Suiter, a professor of urban entomology at the University of Georgia, received at least three calls from people who had been stung by an Asian needle ant – or knew someone who had been – and went into anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. While there is no new evidence on the continued spread of the ants in the US – detected now in 20 US states – Suiter and his colleagues are determined to raise public awareness of the risks the species poses. Unlike fire ants, Asian needle ants aren't aggressive, and Suiter said there has not been reporting on whether there has been an increase in the number of stings. Still, Suiter said, when he heard about what seemed like more people landing in the hospital after being stung, he saw it as the 'tip of the iceberg'. 'We just thought that the bell needed to be rung again and have this brought to people's attention,' Suiter said of the decision by the University of Georgia to issue a recent press release on the threat posted by the invasive ants. It's worked. So far, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, Newsweek, USA Today and a long list of other news organizations have reported on detection of the insects across a broad swathe of the US. The Asian needle ant, whose scientific name is brachyponera chinensis, was first detected in the United States in 1932. 'They are small, shiny, black, very sleek, almost elegant-looking,' said Joe MacGown, a semi-retired ant curator at Mississippi State University and an artist. The ants often colonize in 'undisturbed forest areas where they nest under and within logs and other debris, under stones and in leaf litter', the US Department of Agriculture reported. 'They can also occur near homes and businesses under mulch, pavers, landscape timbers and other objects.' While they are difficult to control, they are not especially dangerous, said MacGown. 'If you find them, in general, they are going to run from you,' he said. 'They are not going to actively go out of their way to sting you, like a fire ant.' But they can disrupt a natural ecosystem because they are an invasive species and 'may not have anything to control them, pest-wise', MacGown said. Like invasive trees, 'they don't immediately serve a real purpose in the ecosystem. They kind of form dead zones.' Suiter encourages people who live in states where the ant is common and have a history of anaphylaxis after an insect bite to take photos of bugs on their property that they suspect could be Asian needle ants and send them to a local extension office or entomology department at a university to have them identified. shows where they have been found. But there is not much people can do if they find the ants on their property, Suiter said. He encourages people to wear gloves and shoes when gardening and to clean up woody debris, which is where the ants would nest. People could also consider installing an ant-baiting program, which are 'food substances that the ants like and take back to their colony and they eat it, and you get a slow decline of the colony', Suiter said. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include hives, itching, low blood pressure and constriction of the airway, according to the USDA. An EpiPen can be effective in treating the allergic reaction, similar to its use after a honeybee sting, MacGown said, but people experiencing such symptoms should still seek immediate medical attention. Still, only 2.1% of people stung exhibited anaphylaxis, according to a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 'I'm not overly concerned about this, as far as them attacking people,' MacGown said. 'Don't be alarmed if you have them, but be aware.' Stacey Vigil, an entomologist and wildlife biologist, has been stung by needle ants twice in recent years. The stings didn't happen while she was doing field work but rather when she was just hanging out at her local pool in Atlanta. The first time, she had a local reaction that led to several weeks of significant itchiness. The second time, even though she had never had such a reaction to an insect bite, she went into anaphylaxis and rushed to an urgent care center. Aside from increased fear, she has not had any lingering health effects, she said. She tried to get rid of the insects at the pool but was unsuccessful, so she no longer swims there and now carries an EpiPen. Despite her experience, she also pointed out that the ants are not aggressive. 'It's fairly easy to avoid where they are if you know' their location, Vigil said. 'They love rotting wood, so avoiding those places helps, but it's not always easy. The pool seems to be my nemesis right now.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ant species with deadly sting rises across 17 U.S. States including GA and SC
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)- Sightings of a potentially deadly invasive species are spreading across the United States. They've been spotted in at least 17 states including Georgia and South Carolina. This ant species has been around since the 1930s, but now it's becoming known as a 'medical pest'. It is the Asian Needle Ant, and it could be your next stinging nightmare. The Asian Needle Ant looks just like a regular ant, but a professor from UGA says there is one thing that makes it different. 'But it makes them a little bit different is that some people get stung by it. They can. They can incur. They can experience anaphylaxis, which can be a life-threatening condition. So we thought, you know, last year I had numerous cases of people who had contacted me as an extension entomologist, and numerous people who had contacted me who had been stung by this and suffered anaphylaxis and wound up in the hospital,' said Dr. Dan Suiter, UGA Orkin Entomologist. And he says that they mainly live in hardwood places. 'And they live in logs. So, if you've got firewood, for instance, keep the firewood up off the ground, because if that wood gets in contact with the ground, ants will actually move up into the wood and you'll bring them inside and maybe get stung by them. If you're gardening and you're picking something up that's been laying there for a few days. Pick it up and look underneath it. See ants on it, just kind of brush them off. Get them identified.' Dr. Suiter says if you think you have some in your yard, put a couple in your jar and send them to Richmond County Extension Coordinator, Campbell Vaughn, who can identify 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
09-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Asian needle ants with a potentially fatal sting have spread across multiple states. Here's what to know.
The Joro spider, Asian long-horned beetle and spotted lanternfly have company this summer. A "sneaky" invasive species that has a potentially deadly sting continues to spread across the U.S. and can be found in more than a dozen states, according to experts. Asian needle ants were first detected in the U.S. almost a century ago, but the species has continued to expand its reach, primarily throughout the Southeast, and this pest could potentially be deadly to humans, according to Dan Suiter, a professor of urban entomology at the University of Georgia. "It injects venom that can harm you. Its sting can be life threatening," Suiter recently told the university. Suiter added that people who have adverse reactions to bee and ant stings are especially vulnerable and could go into anaphylactic shock from the needle ant's sting. Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that can occur within seconds of being exposed to something you're allergic to, such as a sting, according to the Mayo Clinic. "If you suffer from anaphylaxis, you should really know what this ant looks like," Suiter says. "And it might be smart to carry an EpiPen." Suiter urged people to be vigilant for these invasive species, especially with ant populations peaking later this summer. What are Asian needle ants? Asian needle ants are technically known as Brachyponera chinensis – roughly translated as "short, wicked ant from China" – but their native range also includes Japan and the Koreas, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The insect was first discovered in the U.S. in 1932 in Georgia, but has only recently started to "cause problems in North America after being relatively unnoticed for many years," the U.S. Forest Service says. Asian needle ants were first detected in the U.S. almost a century ago, but the invasive species has continued to spread, experts say. U.S. Department of Agriculture The pest has now been detected all the way from Washington state to Florida, according to the site as well as Mississippi State University, and the ant is recently getting more attention in Texas. Suiter says Asian needle ants are "sneaky" because they are less than a quarter of an inch long and are adept at hiding. "Unlike many invasive species that tend to colonize areas in the wake of natural or human disturbance, Asian needle ants are capable of invading undisturbed forest areas where they nest under and within logs and other debris, under stones, and in leaf litter," the U.S. Forest Service says. Environmental impacts According to Suiter, Asian needle ants wreak havoc in native environments. "They outcompete other ant species that are important to the ecology of that area," he says. Asian needle ants prey on other insects and are capable of displacing ant species that are critical for seed dispersal, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Researchers have documented large decreases in seed dispersal in forests where Asian needle ants are present. "Thus, this invasive species could have dramatic, long-term negative effects on forest understory," the service says. What should people do if they see Asian needle ants? Asian needle ants are about 0.2 inches in length, and dark brown or black with the end of the antennae and the legs being a lighter orange-brown, the U.S. Forest Service says. Other ant species can look similar, "so it takes an experienced eye to positively identify them," the service says. Suiter says that you can send a photograph or a specimen to a local University of Georgia Extension office, which can help with identification. The public can also contact a professional to come out and bait for the ants, he says. The U.S. Forest Service advises people to avoid the pest and to be especially vigilant in areas with logs and rotting or rocks were the ants can nest. "Unfortunately, as with many invasive species, it appears Asian needle ants are here to stay," the service says.
Fox News
15-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Invasive insect poses health threat in 19 states, expert warns
Print Close By Khloe Quill Published May 15, 2025 An invasive species spreading across America has created a "medically important" and "life-threatening" threat, according to experts. Originally found in places like China and Korea, the Asian needle ant was first introduced to America in the 1930s, but was overlooked for nearly a century, according to Dan Suiter, a Georgia-based entomologist. "It never really garnered a lot of attention," Suiter, a professor of urban entomology at the University of Georgia, told Fox News Digital. INVASIVE FISH COMPETITION RETURNS WITH ANGLERS MAKING 'REEL REWARDS' The species has now spread to 19 U.S. states, and its bites sent three people to the hospital with anaphylactic shock last year, the expert warned. While it has spread mostly to southeastern states, researchers have also identified it in Washington. There is also a report from Texas, but it needs verification, according to "This is something I thought needed to be brought to people's attention because it's just a hidden little critter," Suiter said. "You know, it's down in the leaf litter. It's in shaded areas with hardwood trees." The U.S. Forest Service stated in a research report that the sting of the Asian needle ant is its "most troubling characteristic." MAN FINDS 'CANDY-LIKE' DIAMOND WHILE EXPLORING ARKANSAS STATE PARK: 'CHANCE OF A LIFETIME' "The sting ... it's odd," Suiter told Fox News Digital. "I've been stung by it … the pain will go away and then it comes back … there have been cases where the pain will come back days later." "The pain will go away and then it comes back … [sometimes] days later." While only three cases last year have been traced back to the Asian needle ant, the professor said it's possible there are more. "I suspect there are people who have shown up in emergency rooms where physicians just didn't know what happened ... and it was an ant sting," he said. Environmental concern While most ants follow a "trail," the Asian needle ant comes on its own, and is "mostly predatory." "It's a cryptic ant," said Suiter. "You'll just see a single ant kind of wandering around, almost looking lost." Unlike other ant species, the Asian needle ant infests undisturbed forests, where it nests under logs, stones and leaf litter. The Federal Register defines invasive species as those that are nonnative (or alien) to the ecosystem and whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Of great concern is the apparent ability of Asian needle ants to displace ant species that are critical seed dispersers," writes the Forest Service. According to Suiter, the Asian needle ant has "decimated" ant populations in native habitats all over American forests. When Asian needle ants invade forests, they can also impact native plants' ability to grow appropriately. They can also be found near homes and businesses under mulch, pavers, landscape timbers and other objects, according to the Forest Service. What to do if you've been stung People who are hypersensitive to other stinging insects may be at increased risk of anaphylaxis from Asian needle ant stings and should exercise caution, according to the Forest Service. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER If possible when stung, collect the insect and bring it with you when being treated by a medical professional so they can confirm the cause. For more Health articles, visit If you haven't been stung but suspect you've come across the invasive Asian needle ant, it's recommended to contact your local county extension agent, who can connect you with appropriate resources to identify the bug. Print Close URL
