Needle Ant Stings

Need to get rid of ants? Read on to learn the answers to all of your important questions. Need help? Call our professionals today to get started.

Needle Ants

Asian needle ants (brachyponera chinensis) is actually native to Japan and Asia, but can also be found in the United States in places like Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Needle ants are currently spreading to places like Alabama and Tennessee and as far north as Maryland. 

The Asian needle ant likes to new in dark, damp soil beneath stones, logs, stumps and debris. You might run into these ants under mulch and landscape features like railroad ties, ornamental stones, concrete pavers and other decorative items found in yards and gardens.

Needle Ant Appearance

Asian needle ant workers have a black body and light brown mouthparts and legs. They are around 3.5 millimeters long. Winged female and male Asian needle ants look different from one another: the winged female is about 5.6 millimeters long with a black body and brown mouthparts and legs while the winged male counterpart is smaller at just 3.0 millimeters in length and is light brown in color. 

Needle Ant Sting

Asian needle ants do sting. They are not defensive of their nests like other pest species, but if they do find themselves on your clothes or you step, kneel or put your hand on one, they will sting you. Take particular care if you do see a needle ant on your clothes or skin as people are often stung brushing a needle ant off of themselves.

Asian needle ant stings can be particularly dangerous as they have a venomous sting. The needle ant sting is particularly painful and the symptoms of a needle ant sting can last between 2 hours and 2 weeks. Some individuals are allergic to Asian needle ant stings and can go into anaphylactic shock. The sting from a needle ant is more likely to cause an allergic reaction in humans than that of the honey bee. If you are allergic to insect bites, take particular caution around Asian needle ants.

Don’t Be Afraid To Call For Help

The fact that they can cause painful stings and even cause serious reactions in family and loved ones is cause for enough concern that if you think you have spotted Asian needle ants, it’s wise to call in the pros. Not all pros know how to handle needle ants as they are relatively new to the United States and their control is not as well-known. Don’t risk calling a pest control company that won’t know how to handle your needle ant problem. Call Pest Control Experts to find the right service provider in their network who will expertly handle your needle ant issue.