Hi!

I live in Chicago and just stumbled upon some sort of really small red
ants. It turns out that it bit me and felt like a sting. I did some
research on 'fireants', and I read that they can't survive/live in
Chicago.

I was wondering if anybody has any ideas on what could have stung
me!

Thanks!
Mike

on 8/11/2007 4:20 PM said the following:
Hi!

I live in Chicago and just stumbled upon some sort of really small red
ants. It turns out that it bit me and felt like a sting. I did some
research on 'fireants', and I read that they can't survive/live in
Chicago.

I was wondering if anybody has any ideas on what could have stung
me!

Thanks!
Mike

The "Fire Ants" most of us think of is the S American fire ant that has
migrated into the southern US. However, there is another fire ant that
can exist in the northern US, and that is the European Fire Ant (Myrmica
rubra). Like its southern counterpart, it can sting.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

on 8/11/2007 5:18 PM Keith Stelter said the following:
I live in Michigan, right across the lake from Chicago. I grew up on a farm,
and we've always had "red ants" that would bite.
They were usually fairly small. I've also experienced the Southern type fire
ants, and the ones up North are NOT the same. Southern fire ants will attach
animals or people who just happen to be near them. The ones that we have up
here will only bite if you are really messing with them or if they get
caught in your clothes.



All ants "bite". Fire ants "sting" (inject formic acid) with a stinger
on their abdomen. Look it up.

"willshak" wrote in message
...

on 8/11/2007 4:20 PM said the following:

Hi!

I live in Chicago and just stumbled upon some sort of really small red
ants. It turns out that it bit me and felt like a sting. I did some
research on 'fireants', and I read that they can't survive/live in
Chicago.

I was wondering if anybody has any ideas on what could have stung
me!

Thanks!
Mike

The "Fire Ants" most of us think of is the S American fire ant that has
migrated into the southern US. However, there is another fire ant that can
exist in the northern US, and that is the European Fire Ant (Myrmica
rubra). Like its southern counterpart, it can sting.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @






--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

wrote:

Hi!

I live in Chicago and just stumbled upon some sort of really small red
ants. It turns out that it bit me and felt like a sting. I did some
research on 'fireants', and I read that they can't survive/live in
Chicago.

I was wondering if anybody has any ideas on what could have stung
me!

Thanks!
Mike


As mentioned you are thinking of the imported fire ant rather than the
native ants that can also sting...not sure if yall even have true native
fire ants up there. Every few years though I will see an article talking
about an imported fire ant nest actually surviving a Northern winter.
Fire ants are common in southern Illinois so I would think it would be
possible for someone to transport them from there to Chicago.

Lar

wrote:

I live in Chicago and just stumbled upon some sort of really small red
ants. It turns out that it bit me and felt like a sting. I did some
research on 'fireants', and I read that they can't survive/live in
Chicago.

Maybe they really are fire ants. Another sign of global warming?

Joe

"Joe" cried:

Maybe they really are fire ants. Another sign of global warming?

Oh, please, the last thing we need is more pseudoo-scientific conjecture
from chicken little.

Jon

Thanks for all the great information! My gf had the ants on her leg
and got stung/bit two or three times. Then I went to go look at where
it was, and while I was walking back into the backyard, I felt a
stinging/biting feeling on my stomach. I look down and saw the small
red ant right where it hurt.

Again, thanks for all the great information!


Mike


On Aug 11, 5:09 pm, Lar wrote:
wrote:
Hi!

I live in Chicago and just stumbled upon some sort of really small red
ants. It turns out that it bit me and felt like a sting. I did some
research on 'fireants', and I read that they can't survive/live in
Chicago.

I was wondering if anybody has any ideas on what could have stung
me!

Thanks!
Mike

As mentioned you are thinking of the imported fire ant rather than the
native ants that can also sting...not sure if yall even have true native
fire ants up there. Every few years though I will see an article talking
about an imported fire ant nest actually surviving a Northern winter.
Fire ants are common in southern Illinois so I would think it would be
possible for someone to transport them from there to Chicago.

Lar

Jon Danniken wrote:
"Joe" cried:

Maybe they really are fire ants. Another sign of global warming?

Oh, please, the last thing we need is more pseudoo-scientific conjecture
from chicken little.

No, it must be global warming; if the world was cooling they'd be ice ants,
injecting a cooling, soothing gel wherever they bite.

--
If you really believe carbon dioxide causes global warming,
you should stop exhaling.

Jon Danniken wrote:
"Joe" cried:

Maybe they really are fire ants. Another sign of global warming?

Oh, please, the last thing we need is more pseudoo-scientific conjecture
from chicken little.

Jon

Gotcha! g

Joe

replying to wiz561, Angiepants wrote:
I have seen them in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago

--
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