Ant Bites

What is an ant bite?

Ants are insects that defend themselves by biting with jaws and pinchers on their heads or stingers on their bottoms if they feel threatened by humans. Most ants are not a threat to humans.

During an ant bite, the ant will grab your skin with its pinchers and release a chemical called formic acid into your skin. Some people are allergic to formic acid and could experience an allergic reaction from the ant bite.

Some ants will sting and inject venom into your skin. Ant stings can be very painful.

What is an ant?

Ants are insects from the Formicidae family. They range in size based on the type of ant but are between 2 millimeters to 25 millimeters in length. Ants are usually black, brown or red in color and have segmented bodies (head, thorax and abdomen) connected by a narrow waist. Ants have two antennae and six legs.

With the exception of Greenland, Iceland, Antarctica and certain island nations, ants are found almost everywhere on the planet. They typically live in decaying plants or mounds of soil and leaves.

What types of ants bite?

There are over 12,000 species of ants in the world and all ants live in groups (colonies that are similar to bees). Some ants are harmless to humans, while others can bite or sting to defend themselves. Some of the most common ants that bite and sting include:

• Fire ant: Fire ants are aggressive and venomous insects, most often found in the southern United States. Fire ants are bright red and sometimes black with pinchers on their head and a stinger on their bottom. Fire ants get their name because the ant stings, releasing venom that feels like a burning sensation. Some people refer to fire ants as “red ants” because of their color.
• Carpenter ant: Carpenter ants are a larger species of ant that is about 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch long with pinchers on their head. Most carpenter ants are black, but they can be red or brown. Carpenter ants get their name because they build nests inside of wood and prefer environments near moist or damp wood.
• Flying ant: When ants want to expand their colony, the queen ant will create ants with wings (flying ants) for mating. All species of ant (including carpenter and fire ants) have flying ants in their colony. Flying ants usually emerge during warm temperatures after rain and high humidity in late spring and early summer. Bites or stings from these ants occur if a flying ant feels threatened and needs to defend itself, but they don’t actively pose a threat to humans unless disturbed.
• Sugar ant: Some ants enjoy eating sweets like sugar, and they can interrupt your picnic on a warm summer day. Sugar ants (Camponotus consobrinus) are very small, between 2 to 15 millimeters in length. Male ants are usually black and female ants can have an orange hue to their body. If a sugar ant feels threatened, it can defend itself by using the pinchers on its head. Sugar ant bites are not painful but can cause allergic reactions.

Who does an ant bite affect?

Ant bites can affect anyone. Ant bites and stings occur on people who enter an ant’s habitat. This could be unintentional, for example, if you stepped barefoot on an ant mound (an ant colony home). Ants bite as a reaction to feeling threatened and bite or sting to protect themselves.

How common is an ant bite?

The exact rate of how frequently ants bite humans is unknown because many cases go unreported. Ant bites are common, especially among people who live in environments where ants live. Fire ant bites and stings are most common in the southern United States because they thrive in warm temperatures.

How does an ant bite affect my body?

Depending on the type of ant that bit you, an ant bite can range from being painless to severely painful. Most ants do not have pinchers that are large enough to harm humans. Fire ants are the most painful since they release venom under your skin when they sting you. If you are allergic to the chemical ants produce when they bite or sting, the bite will affect you more severely than someone who is not allergic to the ant.

What are the symptoms of an ant bite?

Symptoms of ant bites range in severity based on what type of ant bit you. Bites can occur anywhere on your body but ants usually bite on your feet, legs or hands if you come into direct contact with an ant mound or colony.

Symptoms for an ant bite include:

• A sharp pinch on your skin.
• Redness at the site of the bite.
• Mild swelling at the bite site.

Ant sting symptoms

Fire ants bite and sting humans if they feel threatened. In addition to the bite symptoms above, symptoms of an ant sting include:

• Pain or a burning sensation.
• Redness and/or swelling.
• Itching.
• A small bump (like a pimple) on your skin that turns into a blister filled with pus.

It's important not to scratch ant bites, which could break the skin and lead to an infection.

Severe fire ant stings can lead to intense burning and pain for a short period of time. Often, you will experience several stings at the same time because fire ants typically attack in groups. Itching could last for a few days after the sting occurs.

Symptoms of allergic reactions to ant bites or stings

Some people experience allergic reactions after being bitten by an ant. Symptoms of an allergic reaction from an ant bite include:

• Hives and swelling that appear anywhere on your body.
• Itchiness throughout your body.
• Abdominal pain.
• Tightness in your chest and/or difficulty breathing.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Dizziness.

Although rare, severe allergic reactions can lead to mastocytosis or anaphylaxis and are life-threatening, so call 911 or visit the emergency room immediately if you experience any symptoms of an allergic reaction.

What do ant bites look like?

Ant bites are unique from other types of insect bites or stings. Ant bites form a mark on your skin that resembles a pimple. The mark is red to purple in color and elevated from the rest of your skin around it. The bite pimple can look like a bullseye, especially if you experience a sting from a fire ant that forms a pus-filled blister where there is a dark red circle around the elevated, light pink to white blister.

What causes an ant bite?

Ants release a chemical called formic acid onto your skin when they bite. The release of this acid, along with the pinch from their mandibles, causes symptoms of an ant bite. Some people are allergic to formic acid, which can cause a reaction in your body beyond the site of the ant bite.

Similar to ant bites, when ants sting, they release venom into your skin. Your body reacts to the small amount of venom by causing symptoms.

How is an ant bite diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will diagnose an ant bite or sting by a visual examination of the skin around the bite or sting, followed by an evaluation of your medical history and questions regarding your exposure to environments where ants live.

Often, mild cases of ant bites go undiagnosed because symptoms only cause short-term discomfort and the bite heals on its own without treatment.

How is an ant bite treated?

Ant bites usually go away on their own and don't need treatment, but treatment is available to alleviate your symptoms if they cause discomfort. Most treatment options are available at home and do not require an office visit to see your healthcare provider unless your symptoms are severe.

If you notice you have an ant bite or sting, immediately wash the bite area with antibacterial soap and water to prevent infections.

Treatment for ant bites and stings includes:

• Applying ice to the bite to reduce swelling.
• Taking antihistamines or a topical cream (hydrocortisone) to stop itching.
• Taking acetaminophen to alleviate pain.
• Taking corticosteroids for swelling.
• Receiving an epinephrine injection for an allergic reaction.

If you can trap and/or kill the ant that bit you, identifying the ant helps your provider offer the right treatment.

Should I pop an ant bite?

Depending on what type of ant bite you have, the bite or sting can turn into a blister. It might be tempting to pop the blister, but don’t pop it! Popping a blister could lead to an infection. An infection is when bacteria and germs enter your body. Signs of an infection include:

• Fever, chills, difficulty breathing.
• Pain and feeling sore at or around the bite.
• Bite increases in size (swelling).
• Cloudy fluid drains from the bite.
• A yellow crust or scab forms around the bite.

Always use caution around the blister and treat it like you would treat a cut or a wound by washing it with antibacterial soap and water and covering it up with a bandage.

How long do ant bites last?

Ant bites usually go away after a few days. Stings from fire ants last longer based on how much venom they release under your skin. It typically takes anywhere from three to seven days for a fire ant sting to go away and for you to feel better. If you don’t feel better after a week to ten days, contact your healthcare provider.

How can I reduce my risk of getting an ant bite?

When you are in an environment where ants live, take steps to prevent ant bites by:

• Wear protective clothing like close-toe shoes, long pants, gloves and high socks.
• Avoid ant mounds or areas where there is an ant infestation.
• Use insect repellent when outdoors. (There are many kinds of insect repellents, including those made from DEET and picaridin. Ask your healthcare provider which type is best for you.)
• Educate yourself on what ant mounds look like and where they reside to stay away from them.
• Contacting pest control if ants invade your home, property or living space.

What can I expect if I have an ant bite?

If you receive an ant bite, you will likely have a small, red, pimple-like mark on your skin. The bite could last for a few days before it disappears.

For a sting from a fire ant, you might develop a bump on your skin that forms within an hour after the sting. A few hours later, the bump turns into a blister filled with pus. You might experience symptoms of itchiness at the bite site, but don’t itch the bite because you could break open the blister. This puts you at risk of infection.

When your skin recovers from an ant bite, you may have a small scar from the bite or sting. Scars are most common if you accidentally break open a blister from scratching at it.

Allergic reactions from bites and stings are rare but can happen. If you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction, contact your healthcare provider or visit the emergency room.

Fire ants don’t die after a sting, which means they could bite or sting you again. Brush the ant away if it is on your skin and be aware that ants are rarely alone, so if you see one, there might be more nearby.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Visit your healthcare provider if your symptoms from an ant bite last longer than a week to ten days. If at-home treatment of ice to reduce swelling, acetaminophen to reduce pain and antihistamines to stop itching don’t work, your healthcare provider will offer different or stronger treatments to reduce your symptoms.

When should I go to the ER?

If you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction after an ant bite, visit the emergency room or call 911 immediately. Signs of an allergic reaction include:

• Difficulty breathing.
• Swelling or hives forming around your body.
• Vomiting.
• Abdominal pain.
• Severe itchiness.

Although rare, anaphylactic shock is a severe allergic reaction that can have life-threatening consequences if not treated immediately.

What questions should I ask my doctor?

• Do I have an allergic reaction to an ant bite?
• Can I treat my ant bite at home?
• What do I do if the blister from my ant bite pops?

What is the difference between ant bites and bed bug bites?

Ants and bed bugs are both insects that bite. Bed bugs have an oval or circular shape to their body, dark brown color and six legs with two antennae. Ants have long, linear bodies, six legs with two antennae, and are black, brown or red.

Ants can leave a single bite, whereas bed bugs usually bite your skin in multiple places. Ants usually bite on your feet, hands and legs and bed bugs prefer biting your hands and arms and parts of your body that make contact with your bed where they live.

The bite from an ant can look like a single pimple and a bite from a bed bug causes small red elevated bumps in a linear pattern on your skin. Both types of bites cause itching.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Ants are usually harmless insects and don’t pose a threat to humans unless their home is disturbed. Be aware of what ants are most common where you live and contact pest control if you notice a lot of ants in or near your home. Treat ant bites like a wound and reach out to your healthcare provider if you think you’re having an allergic reaction to an ant bite.