A small nip on Siesta Key Beach turned into a serious medical scare for ABC7 weekend anchor Ellie Davis. While covering a Girl Scout cleanup, she felt something bite her foot, and by the next day her right foot had swelled to nearly three times its size and she had lost feeling in three toes. Urgent care treated her with steroid shots to restore circulation. Doctors found no bite mark and couldn’t confirm what bit her, but fire ants are a familiar hazard on the Suncoast.
Red imported fire ants arrived from South America in the 1930s and now dominate Florida and much of the Southeast. According to Michelle Atkinson, environmental horticulture agent with Manatee County UF/IFAS Extension, the ants coordinate their attacks: one sends a signal and they all bite at once, stinging while holding on with their jaws. For most people it means painful welts, but for those with allergies, the reaction can lead to anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal to people and animals.
The practical advice is simple. Check your feet after beach walks, yard work, and time on the ball fields, and keep an eye on kids and pets. If a bite swells rapidly or you feel numbness, dizziness, or trouble breathing, seek medical care right away. Have you had a run-in with fire ants around Sarasota or Manatee County? Share your story in the comments.
