Browsed by
Tag: fire ants

Q – Tips: fire ant venom

Q – Tips: fire ant venom

  • Not to be outdone by Duke, scientists at Emory have discovered two beneficial aspects of a protein in fire ant venom: solenopsin. This protein helps human skin maintain its resilient barrier function and may be useful in people experiencing thinning and easy bruisability of the skin.  Solenopsin also seems to have anti-cancer properties and may provide a mechanism to lessen skin cancers.
Quick Tips – fire ants

Quick Tips – fire ants

Fire ants are wingless bees and they sting with an abdominal stinger while holding on with their jaws. (Eeeww! and Ouch!)  The allergic reaction is to the sting, not the bite. When gardening or picnicking, be sure to wear shoes and socks to make fire ant contact less likely.