{"id":621819,"date":"2026-05-03T22:48:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T22:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/621819\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T22:48:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T22:48:07","slug":"invasive-species-warning-hidden-ant-with-dangerous-venom-reported-in-southeast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/621819\/","title":{"rendered":"Invasive species warning: \u2018Hidden\u2019 ant with dangerous venom reported in Southeast"},"content":{"rendered":"

Researchers are warning residents across the Southeast about the reemergence of an invasive ant species that could pose significant health risks.<\/p>\n

The Asian needle ant has been in the United States since the 1930s, but its recent expansion has raised concerns among experts. <\/p>\n

Dan Suiter, an Orkin Distinguished Professor of Urban Entomology at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and UGA Cooperative Extension, told the university publication<\/a> that ant populations peak in July and August, making awareness crucial.<\/p>\n

The ants, scientifically known as Brachyponera chinensis, measure about 3\/16 of an inch long and are dark brown to black with lighter orange-brown antennae and legs, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.<\/a><\/p>\n

Unlike fire ants that build visible mounds, Asian needle ants hide in leaf litter, dead logs, firewood piles, tree bark, rocks, and areas with high moisture, according to the release.<\/p>\n

They establish themselves in pristine hardwood habitats and do not create visible foraging trails.<\/p>\n

The species was first detected in Georgia in the 1930s but wasn\u2019t extensively studied until about 20 years ago. <\/p>\n

The ants have now spread along the entire East Coast and have been classified as a \u201cmedical pest\u201d by UGA researchers because they inject venom when they sting. <\/p>\n

The sting can cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock, with pain that can recur days later, according to the USDA. <\/p>\n

Stings typically result in intense pain that comes and goes over several hours, skin redness, and hives. <\/p>\n

In the ant\u2019s native range of China, Japan, and Korea, 2.1 percent of people stung experienced anaphylaxis.<\/p>\n

People who have reacted adversely to bee or ant stings in the past face a higher risk of anaphylactic shock from needle ant stings, according to Suiter. <\/p>\n

He recommended those at risk of anaphylaxis carry an EpiPen.<\/p>\n

The ants also damage native ecosystems by outcompeting other ant species important to the area\u2019s ecology, according to the USDA.<\/p>\n

They displace ants that disperse seeds for many herbaceous plants, potentially causing long-term negative effects on forest understory growth.<\/p>\n

Researchers have found that native ant abundance and diversity decline in areas where Asian needle ants establish themselves. <\/p>\n

Control measures exist but treating remote or forested areas remains unlikely due to costs and potential harm to desirable species.<\/p>\n

Suiter emphasized that residents living near wooded areas should learn to identify these ants to stay safe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Researchers are warning residents across the Southeast about the reemergence of an invasive ant species that could pose…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":621820,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[13933,192,117454,79],"class_list":["post-621819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-alabama-news","tag-environment","tag-georgia-news","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=621819"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621819\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/621820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=621819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=621819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=621819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}