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No. 03 · First aid

Fire ant stings: first aid and when it is an emergency

For fire ant stings, Queensland Health’s first aid for bee, wasp and ant stings applies, and it is set out whole below, with its line on breathing and consciousness put first. Business Queensland says a sting can cause a painful, burning, itching feeling lasting up to an hour, and that small pustules may form several hours later; in rare cases a sting can cause anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction.

General information, not medical advice. Queensland Health’s bites and stings page is the official source for the first aid; it and every other source are listed at the foot of this page.

Queensland Health’s first aid

First aid for all other bites and stings · Queensland Health, in its own words

  • “If you have any concerns with level of consciousness or breathing call 000 immediately.”
  • “Wash the area with soap and water and apply an antiseptic, if available.”
  • “Ensure that the patient’s tetanus vaccination is up to date.”
  • “Apply an ice pack to site for pain and swelling.”
  • “Provide pain relief if required eg. paracetamol or an antihistamine (to reduce swelling, redness and itch).”
  • “If bee, European wasp, ant or non-tropical minor jellyfish sting is suspected apply an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time to reduce local pain and swelling.”
  • “In the case of a bee sting, remove the sting by sliding or scraping your fingernail across it, rather than pulling at it.”
  • “The patient should seek medical advice if they develop any other symptoms or signs of infection.”
  • “If you have any other symptoms from or concerns about a bite or sting please contact one of our Registered Nurses at 13 HEALTH by phoning 13 43 25 84.”

Queensland Health gives these as one list for the bites and stings it does not treat separately, which is why a line about bee stings sits among them. HealthyWA’s first aid for fire ant stings is written for fire ants alone.

What a sting does, from the first minute to the tenth day

  1. The first minutesFire ants move quickly, so large numbers can be on a person before they are noticed. HealthyWA says they usually sting all at once, and can sting again and again.
  2. Up to an hourA painful, burning, itching sensation, lasting up to an hour.
  3. Several hours laterSmall pustules may form at the sting sites and may itch. HealthyWA adds that the blisters or pustules sometimes take a day or two to appear.
  4. Up to ten daysHealthyWA says stings can take up to 10 days to heal.
  5. Any time before thenBroken pustules may become infected.

Two habits of the ants are worth knowing before anyone reaches for them. HealthyWA says that trying to brush them off makes them more aggressive, and that ants sprayed with water may latch on with their jaws.

When a sting is an emergency

Anaphylaxis from a fire ant sting is rare, but the red imported fire ant is one of the insects ASCIA names as a usual cause of insect anaphylaxis, alongside bees, wasps and the jack jumper ant. ASCIA cites a 2008 study from Taiwan in which anaphylaxis followed fire ant stings in 2.8% of people stung; for comparison, it says bee stings cause anaphylaxis in 1% of the population.

ASCIA lists the signs of anaphylaxis after a sting as including abdominal pain, vomiting, difficulty breathing and a drop in blood pressure, and says anaphylaxis should always be treated as a medical emergency. Its first aid plan adds that anaphylaxis can occur without skin symptoms.

For anaphylaxis, follow ASCIA’s First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis (PDF).

People who have already had anaphylaxis after a sting are at the greatest risk, ASCIA says. The action plans page explains the personal plan a doctor writes for them.

Who gets stung

HealthyWA says young children and pets are more likely to be stung, because they are less aware of nests, and that dogs and other pets can carry fire ants indoors on their fur. Its prevention advice suits an acreage: keep an eye out for nests when mowing or working in the garden, wear gloves to garden, and wear thick socks and boots when working or walking outside.

Fire ants are not the only stinging ant to know. ASCIA names the jack jumper, a medium-sized black bull ant of eastern Australia, Tasmania and South Australia, as the major cause of ant sting anaphylaxis in Australia, and says native bees and Queensland’s green ant also cause allergic reactions. An allergy to one stinging insect does not usually raise the risk of reacting to another, ASCIA adds.

Every fire ant sting also starts a clock of a different kind: the nest it came from is a reportable find in Queensland, within 24 hours. The reporting page sets out how. Once the stings are cared for, the mound is the next thing to mark on the plan.