Latest news with #DanSuiter
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Ant no stopping us now: insect with potent bite continues march across US
Last year, Dan Suiter, a professor of urban entomology at the University of Georgia, received at least three calls from people who had been stung by an Asian needle ant – or knew someone who had been – and went into anaphylaxis, an allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. While there is no new evidence on the continued spread of the ants in the US – detected now in 20 US states – Suiter and his colleagues are determined to raise public awareness of the risks the species poses. Unlike fire ants, Asian needle ants aren't aggressive, and Suiter said there has not been reporting on whether there has been an increase in the number of stings. Still, Suiter said, when he heard about what seemed like more people landing in the hospital after being stung, he saw it as the 'tip of the iceberg'. 'We just thought that the bell needed to be rung again and have this brought to people's attention,' Suiter said of the decision by the University of Georgia to issue a recent press release on the threat posted by the invasive ants. It's worked. So far, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, Newsweek, USA Today and a long list of other news organizations have reported on detection of the insects across a broad swathe of the US. The Asian needle ant, whose scientific name is brachyponera chinensis, was first detected in the United States in 1932. 'They are small, shiny, black, very sleek, almost elegant-looking,' said Joe MacGown, a semi-retired ant curator at Mississippi State University and an artist. The ants often colonize in 'undisturbed forest areas where they nest under and within logs and other debris, under stones and in leaf litter', the US Department of Agriculture reported. 'They can also occur near homes and businesses under mulch, pavers, landscape timbers and other objects.' While they are difficult to control, they are not especially dangerous, said MacGown. 'If you find them, in general, they are going to run from you,' he said. 'They are not going to actively go out of their way to sting you, like a fire ant.' But they can disrupt a natural ecosystem because they are an invasive species and 'may not have anything to control them, pest-wise', MacGown said. Like invasive trees, 'they don't immediately serve a real purpose in the ecosystem. They kind of form dead zones.' Suiter encourages people who live in states where the ant is common and have a history of anaphylaxis after an insect bite to take photos of bugs on their property that they suspect could be Asian needle ants and send them to a local extension office or entomology department at a university to have them identified. shows where they have been found. But there is not much people can do if they find the ants on their property, Suiter said. He encourages people to wear gloves and shoes when gardening and to clean up woody debris, which is where the ants would nest. People could also consider installing an ant-baiting program, which are 'food substances that the ants like and take back to their colony and they eat it, and you get a slow decline of the colony', Suiter said. Symptoms of anaphylaxis include hives, itching, low blood pressure and constriction of the airway, according to the USDA. An EpiPen can be effective in treating the allergic reaction, similar to its use after a honeybee sting, MacGown said, but people experiencing such symptoms should still seek immediate medical attention. Still, only 2.1% of people stung exhibited anaphylaxis, according to a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 'I'm not overly concerned about this, as far as them attacking people,' MacGown said. 'Don't be alarmed if you have them, but be aware.' Stacey Vigil, an entomologist and wildlife biologist, has been stung by needle ants twice in recent years. The stings didn't happen while she was doing field work but rather when she was just hanging out at her local pool in Atlanta. The first time, she had a local reaction that led to several weeks of significant itchiness. The second time, even though she had never had such a reaction to an insect bite, she went into anaphylaxis and rushed to an urgent care center. Aside from increased fear, she has not had any lingering health effects, she said. She tried to get rid of the insects at the pool but was unsuccessful, so she no longer swims there and now carries an EpiPen. Despite her experience, she also pointed out that the ants are not aggressive. 'It's fairly easy to avoid where they are if you know' their location, Vigil said. 'They love rotting wood, so avoiding those places helps, but it's not always easy. The pool seems to be my nemesis right now.'
Scientific American
13-06-2025
- Health
- Scientific American
Fire Ant's—Here's How to Avoid It
Warnings of a potentially dangerous invasive ant have popped up on news sites and social media this week. You'd be forgiven for thinking a new threat had arrived. But this insect, the Asian needle ant (Brachyponera chinensis), is no newcomer—just a master of remaining inconspicuous. The ant is getting attention after University of Georgia (UGA) entomologist Dan Suiter issued a warning that its sting can be remarkably painful and sometimes cause a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. The ant is not new or spreading any faster than it used to, Suiter says. Rather, as a UGA Cooperative Extension entomologist, he's been getting calls about people being stung by the ant and needing hospital care. With summer in full swing, the insect is active, and people are likely to be in the woods or in their gardens where they might encounter it, prompting Suiter to raise awareness of the species. 'By this time last year, I had fielded three calls of people who had been stung by an Asian needle ant—they knew it was an Asian needle ant—and suffered anaphylaxis,' Suiter says. The problem, he adds, is that the insect is small, black and nondescript. 'You're not thinking that 'this tiny little creature right here could have consequences if it stung me.'' On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. The Asian needle ant is native to Japan, Korea and China. It arrived in the U.S. around or before the 1930s, probably in ships carrying plants and livestock 'before we even realized that is a great way to spread things around,' says Theresa Dellinger, a diagnostician at the Insect Identification Lab at Virginia Tech. It's not clear precisely where the ant has spread within the U.S., but it's plentiful in the Southeast and appears to range as far north as Massachusetts, according to sightings on the community science app iNaturalist. It's not often seen farther west than Missouri, probably because it's not well-adapted to arid conditions, Dellinger says. Studies have found that when Asian needle ants move into an area, they outcompete native ants, reducing ant diversity. These ants don't lay down pheromone trails to lead their colony to food, so you won't see them marching in a line like the little black ant (Monomorium minimum). Instead, when an Asian needle ant finds food, it will return to its colony, pick up another worker and physically carry it to the jackpot, says Christopher Hayes, an entomologist at North Carolina State University. And unlike fire ants, Asian needle ants don't build big nest mounds. Instead they love nesting in damp wood, such as fallen logs or wet mulch. While they aren't particularly aggressive, they will sting to protect their nest, making them a danger to the home gardener. Their sting is initially more painful than a fire ant sting, Hayes says, but also irritatingly persistent, like fiberglass under the skin. The pain can also come and go. Hayes's two-year-old son recently got a sting. The little boy was fine after a few minutes, Hayes says, but then woke up after midnight that night crying about the pain again. In their native range, Asian needle ant bites are associated with a 2 percent risk of anaphylaxis compared with a 0.5 to 1.5 percent risk from the bites of fire ants, Hayes says. So how should you react if you see a suspected Asian needle ant on you? Gently flick or brush it off, Hayes and Suiter say. If it does sting you, try to capture the ant for identification purposes if you can (though it will probably scurry away too quickly). If you start to experience hives, swelling of the lips or tongue or difficulty breathing, get to an emergency room because these symptoms are signs of anaphylaxis. If you suspect you have Asian needle ants on your property, you can snap a good photograph or collect an ant or two with tweezers to submit to your county agricultural agent for identification, Suiter says. There are no centralized entities mapping out the ants' spread, but Suiter says he hopes more public attention will spur more scientific research. Identification is particularly important for those who have had allergic reactions to bee and ant stings in the past. 'If people have a family member that suffers from anaphylaxis and knows it, and they carry around an Epipen,' he says, 'somebody like that needs to know what this ant looks like.'
Newsweek
11-06-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Map Shows States Invaded by Ants That Can Cause Life-Threatening Reaction
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Asian needle ants, an invasive species capable of causing life-threatening allergic reactions, have now been detected in at least 21 U.S. states. This species, first found in the U.S. in the 1930s, has established a significant presence from the Southeast to the Northwest, raising alarm among public health and environmental officials. The ants have been reported in states such as Wisconsin, Texas and Washington, according to ant tracking website Why It Matters The expanding presence of Asian needle ants poses a dual threat: immediate health risks due to their potentially deadly stings and long-term environmental disruption. In some individuals, Asian needle ant stings can cause anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction requiring emergency intervention, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Simultaneously, these ants compete with and displace native species, altering local ecosystems essential to agriculture and natural environments in the U.S. What To Know Widespread Detection in the United States The Asian needle ant, whose scientific name is Brachyponera chinensis, has now been verified in at least 21 states, largely concentrated in the northeastern and southeastern regions. Identification and Danger of Stings The Asian needle ant is a small, shiny, dark brown to black insect measuring about 0.2 inches in length, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The end of its antennae and legs are a lighter orange or brown color. The ant can be confused with similar species in the eastern U.S., making it more challenging to positively identify. The sting can cause intense localized pain, redness and hives. In a study in the native range of the Asian needle ant, 2.1 percent of people stung suffered from anaphylaxis. The U.S. Forest Service said the percentage of people in the U.S. who have developed hypersensitivity, or an allergic response that can lead to anaphylaxis, to Asian needle ant stings is unknown. Behavior, Ecology, and Spread Asian needle ants nest under logs, debris, stones, landscaping timbers, pavers, and mulch. The ants do not form easily visible foraging trails, University of Georgia urban entomology professor Dan Suiter told ABC News. While the species' population usually grows in warmer months, they often appear as early as March. The ants threaten native ant species, which play crucial roles in seed dispersal. Solitary ant. Solitary Precautions and Control Suiter recommended wearing gloves while working outside and removing nesting materials, such as stacked firewood, from properties. Professionals use bait-based controls that are not available to consumers. The care and precision required in the application of the bait aim to protect native species from collateral harm. What People Are Saying Dan Suiter, Orkin Distinguished Professor of urban entomology at the University of Georgia, in comments to ABC News: "In 25 years, I've had one phone call from an individual who was stung by a fire ant and suffered anaphylaxis, another one by something called a twig ant. When I start getting calls annually about people who have been stung by an Asian needle ant, it says to me that there's a trend there." Benoit Guénard, a professor of ecology and entomology at the University of Hong Kong who studied the ants in North Carolina, in comments to USA TODAY: "Imagine somebody inserting a needle directly into your flesh. It's a very sharp, acute pain but it's quite local." What Happens Next Researchers and environmental officials are continuing to track the range and impact of the Asian needle ant. Do you have a story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ant species with deadly sting rises across 17 U.S. States including GA and SC
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)- Sightings of a potentially deadly invasive species are spreading across the United States. They've been spotted in at least 17 states including Georgia and South Carolina. This ant species has been around since the 1930s, but now it's becoming known as a 'medical pest'. It is the Asian Needle Ant, and it could be your next stinging nightmare. The Asian Needle Ant looks just like a regular ant, but a professor from UGA says there is one thing that makes it different. 'But it makes them a little bit different is that some people get stung by it. They can. They can incur. They can experience anaphylaxis, which can be a life-threatening condition. So we thought, you know, last year I had numerous cases of people who had contacted me as an extension entomologist, and numerous people who had contacted me who had been stung by this and suffered anaphylaxis and wound up in the hospital,' said Dr. Dan Suiter, UGA Orkin Entomologist. And he says that they mainly live in hardwood places. 'And they live in logs. So, if you've got firewood, for instance, keep the firewood up off the ground, because if that wood gets in contact with the ground, ants will actually move up into the wood and you'll bring them inside and maybe get stung by them. If you're gardening and you're picking something up that's been laying there for a few days. Pick it up and look underneath it. See ants on it, just kind of brush them off. Get them identified.' Dr. Suiter says if you think you have some in your yard, put a couple in your jar and send them to Richmond County Extension Coordinator, Campbell Vaughn, who can identify 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Invasive ant species that can cause anaphylaxis reported in nearly 20 states
The Asian needle ant, a species that's invasive in the U.s. and whose sting can cause anaphylaxis in humans, is now being reported in almost half the country. According to the Asian needle ant has been confirmed in 19 states, with an additional sighting that needs verification, potentially bringing the total number of states impacted to 20. The Asian needle ant is native to Asia, given its name, but has been established in the southeastern U.S. since 1932, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Now, the stinging ant has spread beyond the Southeast and has been reported in Washington, Wisconsin, Ohio and all along the Eastern and Southeastern Seaboard. Venomous Invasive Pest Triggering Anaphylaxis Warning In Southeast In April, the Asian needle ant was getting renewed attention for its ability to cause anaphylaxis in some people. "It gets a little bit more serious when the sting of an insect can be life-threatening to people who suffer anaphylaxis," said Dan Suiter, an Orkin distinguished professor of Urban Entomology at the University of Georgia. Suiter said the Asian needle ant isn't aggressive by nature, but it will sting if it gets under your clothing. Last year, Suiter received three calls from people who had experienced anaphylaxis after being stung by an Asian needle ant. Not everyone will experience this life-threatening condition if they're stung by the ant, but Suiter said if you've reacted adversely to another insect's sting, like a yellow jacket or a honeybee, and carry an Epipen at doctor's recommendation, you should be aware of the Asian needle ant. Invasive Species Posing 'Extreme Threat' Found Near Popular Summer Vacation Spot Suiter said it's very important to get these ants professionally identified if you believe they're a problem in your area. "You can collect it, get a picture of it," Suiter said. "Send it to an extension agent." In addition to its impact on humans, the Asian needle ant also wipes out other native ant species in an area that could be important to seed dispersal, according to the USDA. If someone gets stung by an Asian needle ant and suffers symptoms such as the ones listed below, they may experience anaphylaxis, according to the USDA. Swelling of the tongue or throat Constriction of the airway, difficulty breathing, wheezing Weak or rapid heart rate Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea Skin reactions like hives, itching, flushed or paled skin Low blood pressure Dizziness or fainting Psychological symptomsOriginal article source: Invasive ant species that can cause anaphylaxis reported in nearly 20 states
