Fuggin ants

[Warlock1]

This past Saturday was just another gorgeous day in Arizona. Got up early and decided to get to choreing. Todays first order of business was to trim the bottom 12 inches of branches and leaves from the Ficus trees in the back yard. I do this because we have tiny dogs and I don't want snakes to be hiding there. I'm laying on a small section of carpet and using hand shears to do the trimming after making sure there are no snakes. I get 25 of them done without incident, However things are about to change suddenly. I felt a small bite on my arm and look. It was a small black ant. No worries, I continue on. Then I felt one on my neck and my shoulder. I brush myself off and continue working. Then I feel it. I start to feel a little groggy and it feels like my head is in a fishbowl. I suddenly feel like I have to go to the bathroom. Next my stomach feels strange. Like I have to vomit, but I'm not nauseated. Super weird. So I get up and start making my way to the house. 20 feet from the back door which now feels like a mile away I start dry heaving. Not real bad, but that is coming. I finally make it to the door and dry heave again and of course sharted in my shorts. I get too the spare bathroom and have a seat and grab the trash can where I proceed to dry heave until my torso just plain hurts. It was then I noticed that I was dripping with sweat. Like bucket of water over the head wet from sweat. Right about now I realized I was having some kind of reaction to the ant bites.

This all took place before 7AM and my wife wasn't up yet so I called her on the phone (luckily I had grabbed my phone before going into the house), as I called I heard her in the living room and called out for her to get me the Benadryl. I heard her say OK and then I heard her with the dogs but at this time I am really struggling. Not with breathing just with the other symptoms. She came over with the Benadryl and saw what I looked like. Now mind you she is not a morning person at all and needs some time to wake up. She really freaked at this point. Me on the toilet, naked and sweating like I am in a sauna. I grab a couple and down them, give her the 411 and she is ready to call an ambulance. After what felt like an hour but was probably 5 minutes things eased a little and I just jumped into the shower and just let it run. Eventually I felt good enough to get out, get dressed and find my way to the couch after throwing my clothes in the laundry room.

I slept on and off for most of the day. I had blisters at all the bite sites and my entire skin was itchy. Sunday came and I still had some lingering effects. Blisters went down, itchiness subsided except where the bites were. Stomach was still weak feeling, but by the end of the day I felt much better. I've never had any kind of reaction like this. Man getting old aint for pussies that's for sure.

 

[rivermobster]

Oh man. Glad you're ok. That sounds beyond scary!!!

Time to spray the shit outa your yard.

I use this stuff. I think a lot of folks on here recommended it. Works good.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spectracide-Triazicide-For-Lawns-and-Landscapes-32-fl-oz-Concentrate-Insect-Killer/4736723?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lwn-_-ggl-_-SS_LWN_000_Priority_Items-_-4736723-_-local-_-0-_-0&gclid=CjwKCAjwhJukBhBPEiwAniIcNTKQTUXTv874HKfdzYX7yACEdtpHMSkqbgMzrYv-cx2zix9rnaJYghoClfMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[DWC]

Sorry to hear. Sounds like a hell of an ordeal. Hope none of it’s on camera.
For the spray i use the black flag flea/tick. Seems to clear out everything. I just used the Terro shaker in havasu. Looked like it did its job in the one day i was there.

 

[Not So Fast]

Went thru the same thing years ago, so I started looking around at other campsite and notice white rings arounf all the thinks set out on the ground, tires to their trailer also so I ha d to ask. Guys says its Comet or Ajax cleaner and thatv it stops ants in their tracks so I tried it, worked like a charm, NO MORE ANTS

 

[Yldboyz]

Ants are the worst, the only thing that I have found that really works on getting rid of them is Dursban. I believe you can still purchase it if you have an applicators' card. This crap worked miracles when I was a kid.

 

[Crazyhippy]

I wouldn't be spraying poison on everything with a small doggo...

This stuff is food safe, but causes incredibly tiny cuts in the exo skeleton of anything crawling, and they dehydrate to death.

HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade, 4lb with Powder Duster Included in The Bag https://a.co/d/6WzVdiX

 

[Mandelon]

Are these some special kind of alien death ants, or are you allergic to this kind?

As kids we used to hold our hands on the ant hill and see who could stand the feeling of ants climbing up your arm the longest.

 

[monkeyswrench]

I wouldn't be spraying poison on everything with a small doggo...

This stuff is food safe, but causes incredibly tiny cuts in the exo skeleton of anything crawling, and they dehydrate to death.

HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade, 4lb with Powder Duster Included in The Bag https://a.co/d/6WzVdiX

In SoCal, my Mom had ficus trees...and sometimes ants. We ended up using pool filter DE. She had two Sharpei wrinkle dogs, so poisons were out. We rung the trees, and did a perimeter line at the planters edge. A tiny ant demiliterized zone.

 

[Warlock1]

No worries with the dogs. They are prevented from getting close to any treatment areas. We have almost an acre lot so using something that displaces them will only mean they move to another part of the yard. Once we get the back yard done and can get it sectioned off, then yeah a continued observation mode and applying DE will be used.
Also I think these are just normal black ants and I just had a bad reaction. That being said this is Buckeye and we are close to the Palo Verde Nuclear plant...lol

 

[Ziggy]

Good grief Tracy! Glad it didn't affect your breathing. May I suggest a bubble for outdoor activities

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

This past Saturday was just another gorgeous day in Arizona. Got up early and decided to get to choreing. Todays first order of business was to trim the bottom 12 inches of branches and leaves from the Ficus trees in the back yard. I do this because we have tiny dogs and I don't want snakes to be hiding there. I'm laying on a small section of carpet and using hand shears to do the trimming after making sure there are no snakes. I get 25 of them done without incident, However things are about to change suddenly. I felt a small bite on my arm and look. It was a small black ant. No worries, I continue on. Then I felt one on my neck and my shoulder. I brush myself off and continue working. Then I feel it. I start to feel a little groggy and it feels like my head is in a fishbowl. I suddenly feel like I have to go to the bathroom. Next my stomach feels strange. Like I have to vomit, but I'm not nauseated. Super weird. So I get up and start making my way to the house. 20 feet from the back door which now feels like a mile away I start dry heaving. Not real bad, but that is coming. I finally make it to the door and dry heave again and of course sharted in my shorts. I get too the spare bathroom and have a seat and grab the trash can where I proceed to dry heave until my torso just plain hurts. It was then I noticed that I was dripping with sweat. Like bucket of water over the head wet from sweat. Right about now I realized I was having some kind of reaction to the ant bites.

This all took place before 7AM and my wife wasn't up yet so I called her on the phone (luckily I had grabbed my phone before going into the house), as I called I heard her in the living room and called out for her to get me the Benadryl. I heard her say OK and then I heard her with the dogs but at this time I am really struggling. Not with breathing just with the other symptoms. She came over with the Benadryl and saw what I looked like. Now mind you she is not a morning person at all and needs some time to wake up. She really freaked at this point. Me on the toilet, naked and sweating like I am in a sauna. I grab a couple and down them, give her the 411 and she is ready to call an ambulance. After what felt like an hour but was probably 5 minutes things eased a little and I just jumped into the shower and just let it run. Eventually I felt good enough to get out, get dressed and find my way to the couch after throwing my clothes in the laundry room.

I slept on and off for most of the day. I had blisters at all the bite sites and my entire skin was itchy. Sunday came and I still had some lingering effects. Blisters went down, itchiness subsided except where the bites were. Stomach was still weak feeling, but by the end of the day I felt much better. I've never had any kind of reaction like this. Man getting old aint for pussies that's for sure.

Good chance you pissed off carpenter ants as they like wood. Their bite contains formic acid which some people (sounds like you) are allergic to. The Benedryl was a good call.

Just follow some of the suggested remedies and you’ll be fine and can control the ant issue.

 

[pronstar]

I wouldn't be spraying poison on everything with a small doggo...

This stuff is food safe, but causes incredibly tiny cuts in the exo skeleton of anything crawling, and they dehydrate to death.

HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade, 4lb with Powder Duster Included in The Bag https://a.co/d/6WzVdiX

Are these some special kind of alien death ants, or are you allergic to this kind?

As kids we used to hold our hands on the ant hill and see who could stand the feeling of ants climbing up your arm the longest.

Murder Ants

 

[Spudsbud]

Our bug guy wasjust here.
Quarterly $60.00. Free comebacks if I call anytime at all.
He bombs the place. We "had" carpenter ants. Way worse than termites. Not anymore.

 

[Spudsbud]

You seen " Murder Hornets"
size of tennis balls !

 

[WYRD]

Oh man. Glad you're ok. That sounds beyond scary!!!

Time to spray the shit outa your yard.

And his shorts apparently

 

[DaytonaBabe]

You should really consider talking to a doctor about getting an epi pen to have on hand. Scafy stuff. Glad you are okay!!

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Holy fuck....there's ants that can make you shart now?
Glad to hear.youre ok....I'd say get an Epi pen stat to have around. Never know what you may be allergic to.

 

[Gelcoater]

I wouldn't be spraying poison on everything with a small doggo...

This stuff is food safe, but causes incredibly tiny cuts in the exo skeleton of anything crawling, and they dehydrate to death.

HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade, 4lb with Powder Duster Included in The Bag https://a.co/d/6WzVdiX

This!!
Not a fan of poisons.
This stuff is non toxic to animals and birds, lizards etc.

It’s a mechanical killer of all things with an exoskeleton.

I had one of my 4x8 raised beds just swarming with pill bugs.
Doing a number on my potato’s and chard, pretty much at the base of all plants in the box.
Applied this and 2 days later not an ant or pill bug to be seen.
Ants were the other enemy.
As they farm aphids on the artichoke plant.
It solved both problems, and no poison.

 

[badluck]

Termidor will get rid of ants for about 10 yrs. You probably have to buy it online though.

 

[Nordie]

If you don't have a risk of pets getting to it I highly recommend ortho orthene. It's meant for fire ants, but I use it on all ants. Stuff flat out works, and it doesn't take much.

 

[Paradox]

Sorry to hear it. No doubt, getting old is a bitch.

Don’t know where you are but, in Havasu, we use Havasu Pest Control. Haven’t seen an ant, spider or scorpion in well over 2 years. Need to keep the dogs in for 4 hours after a visit.

 

[$hot]

You should really consider talking to a doctor about getting an epi pen to have on hand. Scafy stuff. Glad you are okay!!

I want to strongly emphasize this, sounds based on your symptoms that you had an allergic reaction. Now that you have had a reaction the next bite will be significantly worse, and the next one could kill you.

Epi is the first line drug for allergic reactions for EMS and the hospital. It will also provide a clue to medics if they find you with a used epi pen next to you.

 

[Taboma]

This!!
Not a fan of poisons.
This stuff is non toxic to animals and birds, lizards etc.

It’s a mechanical killer of all things with an exoskeleton.

I had one of my 4x8 raised beds just swarming with pill bugs.
Doing a number on my potato’s and chard, pretty much at the base of all plants in the box.
Applied this and 2 days later not an ant or pill bug to be seen.
Ants were the other enemy.
As they farm aphids on the artichoke plant.
It solved both problems, and no poison.

This only continues to work when dry correct ? Or is it rejuvenated once it dries again, assuming it wasn't washed away ?

 

[buck35]

This only continues to work when dry correct ? Or is it rejuvenated once it dries again, assuming it wasn't washed away ?

I don't think it really matters it's like microscopic glass and it just gets in there joints and cuts them all up