fire ant

noun

any of several omnivorous ants, as the migrant Solenopsis geminata originating in tropical and subtropical South America, having a sting that produces a burning sensation.

fire ant

any mound-building predatory ant of the genus Solenopsis , of tropical and subtropical America, that can inflict a painful sting

First recorded in 1790–1800

Insect stings and bitesIt’s not unusual for dogs to be stung or bitten by bees, fire ants and spiders, though the effects will typically be mild.

The threat of death is no obstacle for some hungry fire ants.

The more you scratch a fire-ant bite, the more the darn thing itches.

Then, pointing the nose of the animal toward the trail, he gave his haunch a pinch like the nipping of a fire ant.

Cockroaches swarm everywhere; but the fire-ant is, for its size, probably the most terrible of created beings.

The most annoying of the species is the fire-ant—a little creature of a shining reddish colour.

There are also two kinds of ants, the sěmut pi (“fire ant”) and the sěmut lda (“pepper ant”), whose bites are peculiarly painful.

There is the fire-ant of the Amazon valley, which will put human beings to flight.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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