Fire Ant Bites
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Fire Ant Bite Remedies

| Modified on Apr 21, 2025
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Fire ant bites are misery itself! Actually, what we're talking about is a fire ant sting, because when a fire ant feels threatened it stings its "attacker" from the abdomen, just like the wasps from which they are descended. Unfortunately, fire ants often attack in numbers, and their stings can lead to infection of an open wound.

The symptoms of a fire ant bite or sting include a burning or stinging pain, whitish blisters, hives, swelling, redness, inflammation, and possibly a red circle around the bite itself. Secondary systemic symptoms such as a headache are also possible.

Natural Cures for Fire Ant Bites

Apple Cider Vinegar, applied topically is the best remedy for painful fire ant bites, according to our readers.

A cold compress applied right away will reduce inflammation and pain.

Aloe applied to fire ant stings can relieve the itching and pain. Both vinegar and a baking soda paste have been recommended as natural remedies to soothe the pain from fire ant bites, though in the end one of these should be a better treatment than the other.

Continue on to learn what remedies were most effective from our readers!

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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ACV & Lemon

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Posted by Deb (NC) on 04/21/2025
 ★★★★★

Just got bit by fire ants digging up a crepe myrtle....ran inside and had some ACV and I poured it over my hand twice all over as my whole hand starting stinging and heart beating fast! I waited a few minutes and squeezed a lemon over my hand..within 15 min. I am almost normal!

Apple Cider Vinegar

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Posted by Richardrosen (Sebastian, Florida) on 10/11/2016 1 posts
 ★★★★★

I received about a dozen bites. I knew the quicker I applied a remedy the better. So I dabbed on Grapefruit Seed Extract, Oregano oil, tea tree oil. Also took a homeopathic for poison ivy and such; can't hurt I thought.

Then I searched online and came up with EarthClinic and apple cider vinegar. I soaked the area in a vinegar compress for 15 minutes, and I'm certainly feeling better than at the beginning of the ordeal. And lastly, when I had gotten myself together, I prayed and surrounded my foot with healing energy. As you can see, quite a few things thrown into the mix.

Glad to find this site and will return for other remedies.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Pat (Windsor Berkshire) on 08/31/2015
 ★★★★★

I have been bitten by fire ants while I was in bed. It's burning and painfully little white blisters and circle of red. I've put cider vinegar on the area. It's helping.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Collette (San Diego) on 07/21/2015
 ★★★★★

Thank you. I was starting to panic after a huge fire ant repeatedly bit me on my toe. It swelled immediately and was so painful I couldn't stand it. I live for away from any stores and read about the apple cider vinegar remedy. Instant relief.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ali (Tampa, Fl) on 11/20/2012
 ★★★★★

Fire ant bites - ACV is definitely helpful for time being! Thanks for the Apple Cider Vinegar idea!!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Colorado Mom (Denver, Colorado) on 10/21/2012
 ★★★★★

I had several red ant stings on my leg and ankle. 6 hours, cold compresses and a benedryl later I read this advice about apple cider vinegar. I jumped up, got the cider and cotton balls and dabbed. Instant relief! It did wear off but just applied again. Thank you!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ruth (Coral Springs, Florida) on 10/02/2012
 ★★★★★

Recently I got red ant bites. It was quite uncomfortable and the best relief was the suggsestion I got on your website to soak your feet in apple cider vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Miah (Durham, Nc) on 08/08/2012
 ★★★★★

It worked awesomely for my fire ant sting! Soaked my foot in apple cider vinegar 2 days post sting. The burning and swelling were intense prior to soaking. Afterwards I could walk without limping! Even went for my usual run! The vinegar drew it all out of my tissues and now I just have a huge blister. Not painful anymore at all. A little itchy but that's it. The blister is too big to pop so it's not red or painful and just clear. I'm leaving it alone...

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Jennifer (Manchester, Tn) on 07/23/2012
 ★★★★★

I was bitten by fire ants on my feet and ankles and several yellow jacket stings all in one afternoon out on the farm. I treated immediately with cortisone cream and benedryl but relief was temporary at best. Itching and pistules with an area of redness and swelling extending several inches from the bites. Read your response on using cider vinegar. Dabbed that on and got immediate relief. Thank you for your advice.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Stephanie B. (Fort Worth, Texas) on 02/29/2012
 ★★★★★

Thank you! 3am and I wake up because of a stupid fire ant bite AGAIN on the second toe on my left foot. I think the ants put a GPS locater on me, always the same spot, but this they were fancy and bit between the toes. Read these posts, ran to the kitchen and all I could find was seasoned spice vinegar. I smell like Asian food but relief was immediate! Thank you!!

Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Laura (Denton, Tx) on 09/18/2009
 ★★★★★

I'm allergic to fire ant bites, and my foot was swollen and sore for 3 days. I tried everything. I remembered that apple cider vinegar works wonders for a million other things, so I tried it on a lark. Instantly, my foot felt better and the swelling went down within minutes. Apple cider vinegar works is a miracle home remedy for treating fire ant bites!!!

Benzoyl Peroxide

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Posted by Julie (Las Vegas, Nevada) on 07/29/2008
 ★★★★★

Another thing that can work really fast for ant bites is benzoyl peroxide (Clearasil or similar products). Just dab on, and repeat later-usually works within a day or two; will take the itching away fast. Also works for spider bites, and other types of skin bumps.

Borax

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Posted by Robert Henry (Ten Mile, Tn) on 05/12/2014
 ★★★★★

YEP, fire ants can kill you. Lots of stories to that effect when someone was penned on a fire ant hill. They are moving north from the Sweat South. All the insecticides are just so much hooey. We have tried them all and all they do is make them move to a new area. The absolute best solution to rid them is 20 Mule Team Borax. Why? I have no clue, but it works.

When we get bit , we just grin and bear it. Discussing this is a waste of time . It is priority # 942 in the real health world. That comment is what was expected of me. Right?

==========OLE ROBERT HENRY============

Campfire Ashes or Strong Soap

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Posted by Donna (Port Huron, MI) on 12/14/2008
 ★★★★★

We go backpacking in remote areas where we are far from medical help and must deal with problems immediately. One night I woke up to find half my face red and swollen from red ant bites. Ants inject formic acid which causes the pain in nerve endings. If the formic acid is neutralized immediately, the pain is much less. First I applied a baking soda paste from my first aid kit but without much relief. Then I used ashes from the campfire. The relief was rapid and I didn't feel any more pain. We were in Hawaii in Dec where I was bitten by about 50 fire ants...much more painful than any other insect bite I have ever had. We didn't have any baking soda or ashes and I wanted to treat it immediately. In a hotel room, there are few options, but I found the strongest soap that I could and lathered myself for about 20 minutes in the shower. The soap neutralized the acid and the water from the shower diluted the acid. The pain left almost instantly. I attribute the success of this to being treated in less than 2 minutes. Three places that I missed had swellings about 2 1/2" across. I would not have wanted to have 50 welts like that on my body.

Replied by Nsmith
(Douglasville, Ga)
05/11/2009
★★★★★

SOAP, ANY BAR OF SOAP, This is a remedy my greatgrand mother used on us for generations. Take a bar of soap barely wet the tip of it. Massage rub it in circles into the insect bites until the soap starts drying up or feels like a sticky film. That part is very important to do, 5 mins instant relief. Very soothing and no itching.

Replied by Hannah
(Tyler, Tx)
01/31/2011
★★★★★

My son (who was not even two at the time) stood in a fire ant pile. I could not even count how many stings he had. I didn't know what to do!! Without thinking I started rubbing campfire ashes all over his legs. He stopped crying and didn't act like they hurt so bad the rest of the trip. sorry for my bad spelling! thank you! No one believed me that it helped him!
hannah

Replied by Tina Sumner
(Washougal, Wa)
09/07/2011
★★★★★

that is so tru this works sooo well I did this with my youngest as well it was a miracle worker

Comfrey

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Posted by Greenllll (Kingstree, SC) on 09/11/2014
 ★★★★★

I was pulling weeds w/ gloves on and got 20 fire-ant stings where my gloves touch my wrists. Then to top it off, a wasp stung my finger through the gloves. It hurt bad.

Normally, my body can handle a few stings w/out a hitch but, for whatever reason, whether it was the fact that I vomited a lot the night before due to overeating, or it was due to the mixture of the 2 different poisons in my hand, my hand swelled up, and I couldn't close my fist w/out an inch gap.

Of course, the first thing I did was go to Earth Clinic. I tried ACV soak, charcoal poultice, I ate 1 square inch of charcoal, and I bathed. None of that made the swelling go down.

Then I put a big poultice of comfrey on my hand, where the glove was protecting it. Note that the ants never stung my hand, but it was swollen. This didn't yield any effect.

Next I put the poultice on my wrist w/ the 20 ant stings and I made a little poultice for the site of the wasp sting on my finger. That drawed out the poison to the skin, so I had these white blisters on my skin after applying to poultice directly to the area that was stung. I still have them & I'm on day 2. Although the white blisters are still there, the swelling in my hand has decreased 90% since I added the comfrey poultice, and none of the other things I tried reduced the swelling. I an close my hand now with maybe 5% resistence.

The strange thing is, & I'm not recommending this, but the majority of the healing occurred while I was doing tantric work, and my heart was lit up to almost overstimulation. Don't ask. Still, I think the comfrey was the key herb. Knitbone is one of the most powerful healing herbs known. Its amazing stuff. It can make swelling go down in a few hours, even w/ broken bones, not that that is always a good thing, probably not, but it works that way. Get your bones set before using this stuff. As for antbites, chew it up w/ some water, spit it on the area, and cover it up w/ a grocery bag & some tape.


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