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Do Ants Bite or Sting?
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Most ants in the UK don’t bite. The one to watch for is the red ant, which has a painful sting and will attack if its nest is disturbed. Black garden ants, the ants you’re most likely to find indoors, rarely bother people, while wood ants in woodland can bite and spray formic acid.
Can all ants in the UK bite or sting?
Not all ants in the UK bite. Although some species of UK ants have strong mandibles and can bite when threatened, most are harmless to humans.
Although, all species of ants have mandibles, which means that theoretically all of them can bite. The difference between the species is their aggressiveness. Some ants will avoid confronting a much larger opponent, others will give it everything they have if they feel threatened. One more thing, that you should not forget, is that biting is not the only way an ant can attack its opponent.
Some ant species can sting, which can be painful.
Ants that bite and sting
Ants will bite and sting when they are hunting or they feel threatened. Often, people don’t pay much attention and they stumble upon anthills or pathways. If you step on an anthill, the soldier ants will swarm your leg right away and give their everything to stop you from destroying their home. Sometimes people lay their picnic blankets on top of anthills and nests, or alongside food paths. These individuals can quickly regret their decision.
Only a few of the ants you’re likely to meet in the UK will bite or sting, and only if you disturb them. These are the three to know.
| Ant | How to spot it | Where you’ll find it | Bite or sting? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red ant (Myrmica rubra) | Reddish-brown body, darker head, medium-sized | Under stones and logs, in soil and lawns | Stings. Painful, and will attack if disturbed |
| Black garden ant (Lasius niger) | Small, brown-black, 3–5 mm workers | Under paving, in soil and brickwork; the ant most likely to come indoors | Rarely bothers people |
| Southern wood ant (Formica rufa) | Large (up to 1 cm), orange-and-black body, dark head, big jaws | Large mounds of twigs and pine needles in sunny woodland and heath | Bites and sprays formic acid in defence |
Red ants (sometimes called “fire ants”)
The red ant is the UK ant most likely to hurt. It lives under stones and logs, in soil and in lawns (see ants in the garden), and is active all year. Workers have a surprisingly painful sting and will attack if their nest is disturbed, for example if you sit or kneel on a lawn over a nest. For most people the sting is no more than a minor irritation. Myrmica rubra is also known as the European fire ant, which is why people search for “fire ant bites” in the UK.
Black garden ants
Black garden ants are the small brown-black ants that nest under paving and in brickwork, and the species most likely to find its way into your kitchen. Most ants in the UK don’t bite, and black garden ants rarely bother people. If they’re getting into your home, see our guide to getting rid of ants in the house.
Wood ants
Wood ants are the large orange-and-black ants that build big mounds of twigs, leaves and pine needles in woodland. They are aggressive predators with large jaws and can spray formic acid when they’re defending the nest, so keep a little distance from the mound on a woodland walk.
Do black ants sting? Which UK ants have a sting
UK ants fall into two groups. Red ants (Myrmica) belong to a group in which some species still have a working sting: there are about 26 species of this group in Britain and Ireland, 12 of them Myrmica red ants. Black garden ants, yellow meadow ants and wood ants belong to the other group, which has no sting at all. Instead, they can squirt a little formic acid from the tip of the abdomen in defence. So if an ant stung you in the UK, it was most likely a red ant; black garden ants have no sting and can only bite.
How and why do ants bite
Ants bite or sting primarily as a means of defence, protection of their colony, or to capture prey.
- Defence: Ants bite or sting when they feel threatened. Many species, such as fire ants, will defend their nest aggressively by biting and stinging intruders, including humans and animals.
- Foraging and prey capture: Some ants, like army ants, use bites to subdue their prey. Their mandibles (jaws) are designed for grabbing, tearing, and holding onto food.
- Communication: Some species, such as the Argentine ant, use biting as a form of communication or to mark territory.
- Venom delivery: Ants like fire ants and bullet ants inject venom through their sting, which can cause pain, irritation, and allergic reactions in humans.
An ant bite occurs when the ant pinches the skin with its mouth and mandibles. There is a difference between a ant bite and a sting: only female ants have stingers, which are located at the caudal portion of their bodies. The evolution of biting and stinging provides ants with tools to protect their colonies, secure resources, and defend against predators.
What do ant bites and stings look like
If you didn’t see the ant, it’s hard to tell an ant bite or sting from other insect bites. Think about where you were: ant stings usually happen when you’ve disturbed a nest, such as sitting on a lawn or moving a log or paving slab in the garden. For pictures of common bites and stings, and advice on when to get help, see NHS inform: types of bites and stings. If you’ve woken up with bites, see flea or bed bug bites.
We only provide valuable information regarding ants bites and the possible health risks they hide. But we, as a commercial service provider, cannot give you medical advice.
