Invasive stinging Asian needle ants will hit their yearly peak numbers in July and August. While the ants can deliver a painful and venomous sting, one expert debunks the “Asian needle ant panic” that’s caused concern among Ohioans.
Asian needle ants will hit peak season soon. Are they a threat in Ohio? Do you need to worry if you live in the Buckeye State? Here’s what to know.
Stinging Asian needle ants reach peak numbers in the summer. Should Ohioans be worried?
Native to Asia, the insects are known as Brachyponera chinensis (roughly translated as “short, wicked ant from China”) and have since spread to the U.S. with documented sightings in 20 states, including Ohio.
Ohio State University’s Buckeye Yard and Garden confirmed the non-native stinging ant species in Southwest Ohio in 2018. The ants’ sting is capable of causing allergic or even life-threatening reactions in extreme cases.
Despite recent concerns, Asian needle ants are not new to the U.S., according to Buckeye Yard and Garden. The newsletter adds that ant specimens were collected from a single colony in Cincinnati in November 2017, but have not been confirmed anywhere else in Ohio.
Do you need to worry about Asian needle ant stings in Ohio?
Asian needle ant stings can be painful, venomous, and capable of causing allergic or even life-threatening reactions, USA TODAY reports.
However, Buckeye Yard and Garden says that the threat posed by needle ants appears to be much lower when compared to hornet, wasp, and bee stings. In one study of 327 adults living in an ant-infested area in Korea, “Only seven (2.1%) reported they had experienced allergic reactions to needle ant stings, primarily in the form of hives. Only four (1.2 %) had an anaphylactic reaction to the stings” the article reads.
Are Asian needle ants spreading in Ohio?
No.
No other needle ant colonies have been confirmed in Ohio since 2017 in Cincinnati.
“We still do not know if the Asian needle ant colony was a ‘one-off’ occurrence with a single population now ascended to ant heaven, or if other populations are lurking in the region,” writes Joe Boggs, assistant professor with Ohio State University Extension/OSU Entomology. “The magnitude of the threat presented by Asian needle ants in Ohio and elsewhere in the U.S. is much less than presented in recent media reports.”
What are Asian needle ants? Where are they found in Ohio?
Asian needle ants are a species of carnivorous ants native to China, Japan and Korea, according to USA TODAY. These dark brown ants have been found to live in colonies in leaf litter and rotted logs but can also be found inside potted plants, underneath wood piles, and in lawns. The “needle” part of its name refers to its stinger.
While they are difficult to track, Asian needle ants have been found in Ohio, per antmaps.org. More than a dozen other states have reported Asian needle ant sightings. The ants can nest inside landscape mulch, compost bins, homes, kitchens and dumpsters.
Asian needle ant sting symptoms
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Asian needle ant stings can include the following symptoms:
How to prevent an Asian needle ant stings
Experts recommend wearing thick gloves when handling outdoor items like mulch to help prevent stings. Eliminating nesting sites is also advised, including reducing moisture-heavy areas in and around your home and sealing entry points, according to Orkin.
Should you encounter a colony of Asian needle ants, protein-based insecticide baits can also be used, though the method isn’t foolproof.
Are Asian needle ants the same as fire ants?
No.
Unlike fire ants, Asian needle ants are smaller, less aggressive and will try to avoid humans. Most stings occur when someone accidentally places their hands in nests or on the ants, according to NC State University Entomology. The pressure causes them to deliver a defensive sting with symptoms that can last for hours or even days.
This article originally appeared on Farmers Advance: Stinging, invasive Asian needle ants found in Ohio. Are they spreading? Where they are
Reporting by Alex Perry / Farmers Advance
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
