Red ants, or fire ants, are ants that look like ordinary house or garden ants but have a structural difference in their bodies and antennas. The fire ants are usually slightly smaller and are colored between the shades of coppery brown to black. These tiny creatures will usually mind their own business and the chances of a person getting bitten by them are more likely to occur when an ant or its mound has been disturbed. In most cases, if any of these were to occur, they are more likely to attack in groups rather than individuals. The fire ants will grab onto the skin with the help of its mandibles and then thrust its abdominal stinger and venom into the skin of the victim. The fact that they sting and bite continuously in a circular pattern around the area where it has anchored itself, makes their sting even more painful. While on some occasions, the pain may last for a considerable amount of time, some more severe encounters with fiery ants may see a significant amount of pain last for a few hours, seemingly reducing in intensity but still around even after that. Some individuals may also notice small reactions to the stings such as the development of blisters, which may break without being disturbed after a few days. The fluid contained in the blister may appear a little cloudy while the area surrounding it may swell, itch and turn noticeably red in color.
In order to help reduce the amount of time that one is affected by a bite from a fire ant, a number of home remedies have been developed all over the world that have proven to be rather easy to create as well as very effective. Applying a cold compress or an ice pack over the affected area is known to significantly reduce the amount of pain and swelling experienced. You should also try washing the affected area with soap and water or even use an antiseptic to disinfect the area. However, if a blister is present, you may want to take special precautions to avoid bursting the blister as this may cause the infection to spread over a larger area of the skin, making matters considerably worse. The application of Aloe Vera over the affected areas is also known to be considerably effective when treating fire ant bites and should be applied as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Elevating the limb that had been stung will also limit the swelling in the area.