What do fire ant bites look like?

[FairWeather]

Went out this morning to find (of course the one getting sold!) one of our sweet horses with a blown up leg and dozens of these weeping, crusty scabs all over his hocks. They sure look like what I envision fire ant bites to look like, but not sure.
I gave him some dex for the stovepipe and he doesn't seem all that bothered, but WAH! my poor sweet pony!
We've had the property treated for fire ants, but obviously (i think!) we have some left.

Boooooo. Hating the bugs in NC!

[MikeP]

On a human fire ant bites are small red spots. After a little time they will get a yellow pus inside.

I live in fire ant country and have never noticed ant bites on one of my horses. Normally they stomp very effectively and knock the ants off.

[FairWeather]

I've been bitten myself (and found out i'm HIGHLY allergic!), but haven't found bites on the horses. He definitely layed down in something as they go from the pastern up over the hock and are only on one side.

[witherbee]

I've had horses roll in fire ant hills, and it's normally a series of bumps and you see the raised hair. Never had one bitten on the legs though, so that may be what those are. I got bitten in the hand over the weekend - really sharp stings and 3 small bites near my wrist. They are super itchy and raised with pus pockets (gross). It usually takes 4 or 5 days to stop itching and I take benedryl and benedryl cream to deal with it. With the horses, bute and azium or I think you can give benedryl to them (ask your vet).

Sounds like your guy has a nasty case - be careful that it doesn't get infected or a cellulitis/lymphangitis...

[SkipHiLad4me]

My horse will get into them by accident all the time after big rain storms :no: Your description sounds like what I've experienced with him. Usually it's just some bites that I can feel under his hair but if they really get him, he'll have swelling in his leg and those oozy, pussy bumps all over. For those times, I cold hosed and dabbed the worst areas with hydrocortisone and it calmed back down after a day or two. Benedryl or an antihistamine really helps too as those things REEEEALLY itch for my guy.

[wildlifer]

Sounds like my fire ant bites, owie. I'd be curious to know who claims they can "treat" a whole property for fire ants. Those critters are about impossible to get rid of -- I use to work on a wildlife refuge where we declared full warfare on them, but they will just always come back. Even worse, if you have the colonies with one queen and get rid of them, the kind with multiple queens will move in and they are even MORE aggressive. The enemy you know....

[Nootka]

I've had horses roll in fire ant hills, and it's normally a series of bumps and you see the raised hair. Never had one bitten on the legs though, so that may be what those are.

Yeap same here. I think Nootka took a nap on a hill one day. She was covered in bumps. No bumps on the legs though:confused:

Ants personally love my feet... OUCH!!

[JanM]

For ant bite treatment for humans-I first use "After Bite" sting sticks-they're just ammonia in a plastic tube they sell at the pharmacy. Next I use benadryl liquid or gel or spray if they're still itching.

[tweeter]

Sounds like my fire ant bites, owie. I'd be curious to know who claims they can "treat" a whole property for fire ants. Those critters are about impossible to get rid of -- I use to work on a wildlife refuge where we declared full warfare on them, but they will just always come back. Even worse, if you have the colonies with one queen and get rid of them, the kind with multiple queens will move in and they are even MORE aggressive. The enemy you know....

We have our place treated twice a year. We've gone from having mounds a foot tall to maybe seeing one or two ants a year. I'm not sure what the guy uses, but it does't hurt dogs, cats, horses, turkeys, guineas or chickens (before they got murdered).

I so hate fire ants. Still have scars from some bites I got about 10 years ago.