Forgotten Cures: Fire Ant Bites

Fire Ant Bites * I grew up in tobacco fields. And spent most of my time bare foot. When I stepped on a honey bee, someone would put wet tobacco on it. I live in Texas now, and use tobacco from a cigarette (preferably a left over butt) to cure fire ant bites. works on yellow jacket stings too. With fire ants, they leave a permanent pustule that hardens...not if you use wet tobacco within 5 minutes. Charline Burress * I live in Florida and want to pass on some information regarding the "sting" of fire ants. A couple years ago a little gal staying at the resort here fell into a large mound of fire ants. She was rushed to the hospital emergency room (at a cost of $300 and some change) and all they did was spray her with Windex WITH amonia. (It has to be the kind with amonia added) So the next time I got bit, I tried it ~~~~ it works! Jean Partridge * My fiance and I just moved to FL (him for the first time, me for the third). I warned him to stay off the grass and watch for ants. This advice was soon forgotten yesterday when he was tinkering with his car (laying on the ground). He got bit at least 50x from what I can see. Since the poison in fire ant bites is different from other ants (it's basic rather than acidic). Things that are bases (pH over 7) don't work, and can make it more painful. Ammonia and baking soda are bases. I mixed ti-tree oil with a vitamin E cream and rubbed it all over his arm and leg. He complains how it smells "mediciny." My mother says to make him soak in an Epsom salt bath to help dry out the pustules that occur several hours after being bitten. My grandmother says to use used tea bags soaked with hot water to take the sting out of the bites. If the pustules break, wash the bites with soap and water and pour honey on the open sores, wrap it in gauze or an ace bandage. This has worked for me and my family, and I intend to use it on my fiance. I recommend it for anyone who has had the displeasure of fire ant bites. [darkdragon