![]() Their foraging range is typically 25-30 m 2 (Gordon 1995). Red harvester ant foragers collect grass seeds and store them in their nests. Red harvester ants are most active during hot, dry conditions. They are common along the edges of dirt roads. Habitat & HostsĪlthough some species of harvester ant prefer wooded environments, the red harvester ant prefers open grasslands, especially areas with clay loam soils. Effects of the stings can spread along lymph channels and may be medically serious. Based on the Schmidt sting pain index, red harvester ants rate a pain level of 3 on the 1-4 scale (Schmidt et al. Worker ants can bite and produce a painful sting but are generally reluctant to sting. Red imported fire ant generally do not prey upon harvester ants, but out compete them for resources. Red harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, are common in Texas, but have suffered decline in much of the state due to red imported fire ant. Species exist throughout much of the United States, Canada and Mexico. There are hundreds of harvester ant species world wide, with 22 species of harvester ants in the United States, and 12 within the state of Texas. Near the entrance hole there will be a midden, which serves as a trash dump where, pebbles, dead ants, and other discarded waste accumulates. The bare ground surrounding the entrance hole is often covered with small pebbles excavated from the tunnels within the nest. Usually there is no vegetation within a 3 to 6 feet circular around the central opening of their colony and along foraging trails radiating from the colony. They have large, square heads, elbowed antennae, large mandibles and no spines on the body. Red harvester ant workers are 1/4 to 1/2-inch long and red to dark brown. Vinson, John Jackman Most recently reviewed by: David Kerns (2018) Common Name(s): Red Ant, Red Harvester Ant Description In general, if a person is highly allergic to wasp and bee stings, they are usually highly allergic to ant stings.Īlways seek the advice and assistance of a physician if bitten or stung by ants.Red harvester antsArticle author: Bradleigh S. ![]() Signs of an allergic reaction may include sneezing, wheezing, hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sudden anxiety, dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest tightness and itching or swelling of the eyes, lips or other areas of the face, rapid loss of blood pressure, fainting and coma. Depending on the age of the person stung, the number of stings inflicted and the degree of allergic reaction to the ant’s venom, more serious symptoms and perhaps anaphylaxis may occur.Īnaphylaxis is a complex response, but simply stated is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that may occur within a very short period of time after exposure to an allergen. Other symptoms such as redness and swelling occur around the sting site. Most sting symptoms are minor and involve moderate or intense pain that will go away within several hours. Aggressive ants such as harvester ants are medically important since their targets are usually stung many times and in some cases are stung many times by a single ant. While many of the more aggressive ant species bite, the primary reactions are caused by the sting and resulting injection of venom into the skin. What an ant sting looks like Signs and Symptoms
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