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I 've been reading alot about the south having fire ants,some poisonous spiders, and toads. What is it like in NC? I know there are mosquitos and spiders, does anyone have a problem with them in the house? Has anyone got bitten? Are they really bad? Does anyone have a dog? How well did he or she do with adjusting to the weather and all the bugs and insects??
I got bit by what the doctor said was a brown recluse spider once. I didn't even realize it until I saw the bite and then it started to erode which is typical in these type bites. He treated it with antiobotics and demerol and phenergan for the pain but I was fine in a day or so. Now fire ants are something else. And never attempt to stamp out a fire ant hill. The survivors emit this neuro sensor that will alert the rest of the ants to go in attack mode which will be your foot if that is what you used to stamp it out. In a matter of seconds you can be covered with these things and the bites are painful. One ant can bite you more than once. And I believe they can sting as well. I would keep a bottle of benadryl on hand if you have any type allergies just is case you have problems if you are bitten. You need to make sure you are not allergic to bee venom and wasps as well. If you are, you can get a self injection kit to use in case you are stung to prevent anaphalytic shock. I don't know a lot about toads. But there are some snakes around here as well. More common in swampy areas are the water mocassins. Then we have the copperheads in the wooded areas. There are a lot of harmless snakes and I try to leave them alone unless I am totally not sure whether they are poisonous or not. Chris is a lot better than I am at this and for the most part I stay in the house so it isn't a real issue for me. But a few years ago my aunt tried to pull some brush her husband had cut up down to the area behind the house. While she was down there, she fell and broke her hip. And she was down there for 2 plus hours before the owner of the barns just happened to find her. She was eat up with fire ant bites and nearly delicious from the pain (she was 66 at the time.) So just be careful and when in doubt, either leave it alone or get a native to help you determine what you need to do about the pest.
oohhh, that sounds scary. I hope that woman is doing well now. So, I suppose the fire ants can be in anyone's backyard there? Or is it just certain parts?
oohhh, that sounds scary. I hope that woman is doing well now. So, I suppose the fire ants can be in anyone's backyard there? Or is it just certain parts?
I have a big hill right out around my mailbox. When I approach it, I make sure I don't bother it. But you have to be careful. I think that fire ants are shaken by vibrations too. The mail man also brings a lot of mail in the house to the pool room because I am disabled. I basically leave them alone. But this particular hill is going to have to be dealt with. Chris has a license to use chemicals to kill things like this so he may as well start digging something out. It is getting more and more difficult to get to the mailbox without upsetting the ants now. As for my aunt, she is doing well now but it took a long time for her to heal up. But she is a very young looking 72 now. Oh I live in Greene County which as you can see by the map is in the normal infestation area.
I got 5 fire ant bites on my foot about 5 minutes after I arrived in Charlotte. I was standing on some while opening the back door of the moving truck. I forgot to watch for them.
I don't know how accurate that map is. I grew up in Forsyth County, and my sister got attacked by fireants when we were kids.
I wouldn't worry about what the map says. If I saw the little devils I would assume that is what they are and either get rid of them, again not by stopping out the nest because all you are going to do is get bitten by the survivors and the ones still in the nest. They are plenty of insecticides on the market for just such things. If all else fails, hire and exterminator. And don't let children anywhere near them. These are not garden variety picnic ants. Fire ants are larger than the regular thought about ants.
I got 5 fire ant bites on my foot about 5 minutes after I arrived in Charlotte. I was standing on some while opening the back door of the moving truck. I forgot to watch for them.
Be thankful that is all that got you. I have really been bitten good once and it wasn't in North Carolina, however. We went to Florida when I was a child back in 1959 and I got into a bed of them then. And believe me, I learned my lesson. I have never been bitten since despite this happening when I was 8 and I will be 55 next month.
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Are they really bad? Does anyone have a dog? How well did he or she do with adjusting to the weather and all the bugs and insects??
