How To Deal With Utah Ant Bites This Summer

One of the worst parts about summer in Utah (and anywhere) has to be the bugs and more specifically, the ants. 

Utah has a plethora of different kinds of ants including harvester and carpenter ants. We do not have “fire ants” which is great because those stings or bites are the worst. Ants can both sting and bite depending on the type.  

The state has carpenter ants which can be confused with fire ants due to their color. However, carpenter ants are much larger than fire ants and tend to be less aggressive. This does not mean you will want to be bit/stung by one any time soon.  

I grew up in Arizona and for some odd reason, used to wear Crocks year-round. This resulted in a terrible event where I was stung by a red ant between my toes. It was terrible and I do not recommend it.  

Unless you have an allergic reaction to the bite of an ant, you will most likely just see redness and terrible pain for a short period of time. This will also be accompanied by some itchiness and swelling in the bite area.  

The first thing you will want to do when you notice being stung by an ant is to wash the area with soap and water. This will reduce any infection chances, but it won’t get rid of the pain. You can use hydrocortisone cream for itchiness.  

For a quick burn/itch relief, I recommend using an ice cube. It is a shirt lived relief, but it does help. Don’t let ants ruin your Utah summer and be prepared for any bites or stings during your outings.