Topic: Bitten

[Mrs Ava]

Should this be in the wildlife thread, probably, but I am here now and comfy, so here it will stay.  Today opened my compost heap lid - a pallet hinged on - in the garden to meet a huge ants nest, with eggs and flyers!  Foolishly watched for a few seconds as they paniced and set about moving all of their eggs undercover, and then realised I was being bitten by them!  Black ants ran up my amrs and legs and nipped me all over!  Most unpleasant.  Didn't know they nipped!  Anyhow, told Ava, who decided I am prone to exagerate, so he went to look, foolishly watched them in their masses, and then he got bitten all over to.  HA!  ;D

[Doris_Pinks]

Owwww poor you EJ!
You needed a fireman with a hose! :o
I have red ants on my plottie and have learnt to stay WELL away, cos they leave me with lovely read welts where they nip! Last for ages too. Now carry antihistamine cream in the car just in case! >:(

[Jesse]

Yes, they do bite as I found out this year. My compost bin also housed an ants nest which I discovered a few weeks ago. Millions of little black ants. I decided the only way to be rid of them was to empty the whole thing, dig it over, water it and stick it all back again and keep it well watered for a few weeks until they moved away which they have now done. But, whilst emptying it and digging it over I looked like a crazed woman trying to do some sort of ridiculous rain dance! I had to keep jumping around and stamping my feet to keep them off me with the occasional slap to the legs and feet every few seconds to knock the persistent ones off. Got there in the end but it was like having an intensive 2 hour aerobics workout, was shattered at the end and needed a long hot soak. Next year I will keep the compost bin well watered to avoid that ordeal again.

[aquilegia]

oh heck. I didn't know the black ones bite! I've often disturbed both black and red ants nests in my compost heaps. I shall be much more cautious about this in the future.

Do they itch or hurt? Hope they heal soon.

[Mrs Ava]

Hurt like crazy!  Sharp nip - YOUCH, squashed ant followed by red flecks on my skin.  Didn't flare up too much and wasn't itchy, but the rash didn't go until that evening.