{"id":2246,"date":"2026-06-26T20:05:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T20:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=2246"},"modified":"2026-06-26T20:05:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T20:05:10","slug":"a-stinging-ant-has-invaded-nc-and-its-bite-can-be-deadly-how-to-id-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=2246","title":{"rendered":"A stinging ant has invaded NC, and its bite can be deadly. How to ID it"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Asian needle ant has been slowly making its way across the United States since 1932, and they\u2019re now found painfully stinging people in most of North Carolina\u2019s 100 counties.<\/p>\n

Read more Deputies \u2018arrested the wrong person,\u2019 so SC jury verdict gives woman big money<\/a><\/p>\n

The Asian needle ant is native to East Asia. Despite the intense sting and frightening name, the ants are on the smaller side. They are smaller than the carpenter ant<\/b>, another ant commonly found in North Carolina, according to the NC State Extension.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201c(Needle ants) have been in North Carolina probably almost for 100 years or so, about,\u201d NC State Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist Christopher Hayes said. \u201cI think we have hit this point of no return<\/b> in terms of the population growing in size and spreading out, and now they\u2019re throughout the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asian needle ants:<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wander around individually, but they are nasty, nasty, nasty ants<\/b>,\u201d Hayes said.<\/p>\n

The ant\u2019s namesake needle-like sting hurts, and it can be deadly.<\/a> Hayes is often in the field as an entomologist, and he has been stung before.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not an immediate sharp pain, but it is a lasting discomfort<\/b> to me,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cIt feels a lot like fiberglass in my skin<\/b>, and it will last for anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, this fiberglass discomfort feeling in that area where that single sting was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hayes said the experience may vary; his young son has also been stung. For him, the pain was searing, but dissipated much more quickly.<\/p>\n

If someone comes in contact with fire ants, they may get many stings. Asian needle ants only sting when they feel threatened<\/b>, or when someone presses against them, which can make stings harder to avoid.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt very easy to avoid fire ant mounds, they\u2019re very visible, easy to see, and I would say the vast majority of the time, you don\u2019t have to worry about being stung,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can avoid them. Asian ants, not so much, because they\u2019re in the mulch<\/b>, they\u2019re in this woody debris<\/b>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asian needle ant stings cause anaphylaxis<\/b>, an allergic reaction involving multiple bodily systems. In a study done in the native range of the needle ant, about 2% of people stung exhibited anaphylaxis, according to the USDA.<\/a><\/p>\n

Some people develop hypersensitivity to ant stings<\/b> that raise the rate of anaphylaxis, but it is unclear how many people in the United States are hypersensitive to Asian needle ant stings. However, people who are hypersensitive to other stinging insects are at higher risk of anaphylactic response to Asian needle ant stings.<\/p>\n

Comparatively, about 0.5% of people have anaphylactic responses to fire ants.<\/a><\/p>\n

Hayes says there\u2019s no reason to worry.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of beautiful nature in North Carolina<\/b>, a lot of spaces you can spend time in, and a lot of reasons to do some gardening and yard work,\u201d Hayes said. \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid, just be aware, right? Look at what\u2019s out there, be aware where you\u2019re placing your hands, and just be safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hayes said the ants have proven hard to eliminate. Many native ants have single colonies with one queen, but Asian needle ants can live in supercolonies<\/b> with multiple nests and multiple queens<\/b>, sharing resources and moving between nests. This habit also makes the ants hard to eradicate.<\/p>\n

The NC State Extension recommends:<\/p>\n

Portions of this story were previously reported<\/a> in The Charlotte Observer.<\/i><\/p>\n

Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you\u2019d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.<\/p>\n

Read more Charlotte, here\u2019s how you can help Venezuela\u2019s earthquake survivors<\/a><\/p>\n

You can submit your question by filling out this form<\/a><\/b>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Asian needle ants form supercolonies across North Carolina. Understand sting risks, identification features and practical yard steps to prevent infestations and allergic reactions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2244,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nA stinging ant has invaded NC, and its bite can be deadly. 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