Invasive pest with deadly venom spreads across the US — and triggers warning from scientists

A stinging ant taxon that tin origin anaphylaxis successful humans and has been recovered successful the U.S. for 90 years is getting renewed attention.

The Asian needle ant is autochthonal to Asia, fixed its name, but has been established successful the Southeastern U.S. since 1932, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. 

The pest is contiguous in Georgia, arsenic good arsenic successful different Southeastern states on the Eastern Seaboard.

“We are present considering it a medically important pest,” said Dan Suiter, an Orkin distinguished prof of Urban Entomology astatine the University of Georgia.

Ants are typically seen arsenic a nuisance, particularly erstwhile they invade homes oregon businesses. But the Asian needle ant poses a much superior menace – 1 that goes beyond inconvenience.

“It gets a small spot much superior erstwhile the sting of an insect tin beryllium life-threatening to radical who endure anaphylaxis,” Suiter said. 

In summation to serving arsenic an Orkin prof of entomology astatine UGA, Suiter is besides an hold entomologist, moving intimately with homeowners and pest power professionals to place assorted insect species.

In 2024, Suiter said helium received 3 calls from radical who suffered anaphylaxis aft a sting from an Asian needle ant. 

The Asian needle ant isn’t assertive by nature, but it volition sting if it gets nether your clothing. Clemson University

The prof said erstwhile helium starts seeing trends similar this, it starts getting attention. 

Suiter said the Asian needle ant isn’t assertive by nature, but it volition sting if it gets nether your clothing.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis 

If idiosyncratic gets stung by an Asian needle ant and suffers symptoms specified arsenic the ones listed below, they whitethorn acquisition anaphylaxis, according to the USDA. 

• Swelling of the lingua oregon throat
• Constriction of the airway, trouble breathing, wheezing
• Weak oregon accelerated bosom rate
• Nausea, vomiting oregon diarrhea
• Skin reactions similar hives, itching, flushed oregon paled skin
• Low humor pressure
• Dizziness oregon fainting
• Psychological symptoms

There’s nary technological mode to foretell who volition acquisition anaphylaxis aft an Asian needle ant sting and who won’t.

Suiter said if you’ve reacted adversely to different insect’s sting, similar a yellowish overgarment oregon a honeybee, and transportation an Epipen astatine doctor’s recommendation, you should beryllium alert of the Asian needle ant. 

Asian needle ant behaviors and habitat 

Asian needle ants unrecorded successful logs oregon firewood, but they tin besides beryllium recovered nether stones and wrong leafage litter. 

Suiter said the ants emotion hardwood environments.

They’re precise small, lone astir three-sixteenths of an inch, according to Suiter. Their highest enactment is successful the summertime months, chiefly successful July and August.

Asian needle ants unrecorded successful logs oregon firewood Samuel – stock.adobe.com

He said the ants instrumentality to the crushed and don’t way similar different ants. They locomotion chaotically and typically are alone.

“This critter benignant of wanders around,” Suiter said. “It looks lost.”

The value of identification

He stressed the value of having the Asian needle ant decently identified by an entomologist. 

“You tin cod it, get a representation of it,” Suiter said. “Send it to an hold agent.” 

He said your nearest assemblage hold cause tin get it to an entomologist to beryllium identified. 

“There are astir apt 3 oregon 4 twelve taxon of ants here, conscionable present successful Georgia,” Suiter said. “So recognition is critically important.” 

In summation to its impacts connected humans, the Asian needle ant besides wipes retired different autochthonal ant taxon successful an country that could beryllium important to effect dispersal, according to the USDA. 

While they’re tiny, it’s inactive important to admit that their invasive quality is problematic. “So anacondas and boa constrictors successful the Everglades are important,” Suiter said. “But ant taxon similar this tin travel successful and benignant of decimate the section ecology.” 

He said these ants tin besides impact plants.

How to minimize the impacts 

After the Asian needle ant has been identified, Suiter said determination are a fewer ways to negociate the fig of ants around. 

Cleaning up escaped logs oregon firewood and keeping them adust and disconnected the crushed tin help. 

He said a method called baiting tin assistance power the populations arsenic well. 

Suiter said pest power companies are champion for this due to the fact that they person products homeowners don’t person entree to.