A UGA entomologist warns of an increasing risk of people getting stung by a highly venomous invasive ant species that is becoming more common in Georgia.
Channel 2’s Tom Regan spoke to a woman who said she nearly died from their stings.
“The Asian needle ant is only 3/16 of inch long. But its sting can be life threatening, particularly to those who have bee or ant allergies. There are people who have been stung, wound up in the hospital, and didn’t know what happened to them,” said Dan Suiter, an Orkin Distinguished Professor of Urban Entomology in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Cooperative Extension.
A woman in north Fulton County was stung by one or more Asian needle ants while relaxing by her pool on Memorial Day two years ago.
Soon after feeling the painful stings, she felt her lips swelling and went inside her house.
“I went upstairs, and by the time I got to the bathroom, I was in trouble. I lost all movement of my muscles. I tried to stand up and I kept falling, short of breath, heart racing, just in and out of consciousness,” said Melissa Hairston.
Her husband Deno called 911 for help.
“I didn’t know what exactly was going on, but the blood curdling scream she let out, let me know something wasn’t normal,” said Deno Hairston.
When paramedics arrived, they quickly realized Melissa was having a major medical emergency, but they didn’t know what triggered it.
“When EMS got here, my blood pressure was 60 over 40. I had broken ribs and a concussion just from falling. I was dying. They told me if they hadn’t come when they did, I would have died,” said Melissa Hairston.
She fully recovered. She suspected that her medical crisis could have been an allergic reaction to a bug bite or sting.
She asked her exterminator to collect ant samples near her hot tub. He sent the samples to be tested at the University of Georgia.
“That’s when we found out it was the Asian needle ants that stung me,” said Melissa Hairston.
The couple says they wanted to tell their traumatic story to warn people about the dangers of Asian needle ants.
“We can now be more aware and tell our story to others so they can be aware and hopefully prevent this from happening to someone else,” said Deno Hairston.
The Asian needle ant was first discovered in Decatur in the 1930’s. Each year a growing number of people are getting stung by the ants and can suffer severe medical complications, as Channel 2 reported.
Suiter says the Asian needle ant population is quickly growing in Georgia, increasing the threat against people and the native ant populations.
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