[processing please hold]

Toothpaste works good on the itch.

[spectre]

Toothpaste? Now, you tell us!! LOL. I'll try it next time, God forbid..:)

sw

[Othniel]

In California, and probably elsewhere, we have the Argentine ant. Little guys, kinda dusky color. Their nests can have multiple queens, and there is no nuptual flight like other ant species have. Argentines came over in the oleander pots back in the 1920's, and have been going like gangbusters ever since. ONE colony was found that stretched from San Diego up north to almost San Francisco. ONE colony! Billions of individuals, all happily living along the coast in rest stops, etc.

Argentines are a menace to the native ants. The Calif. fire ant and the Calif. harvester, both of which have nasty stings, are no match for the sheer numbers of Argentines. I've seen them go against the bigger, heftier harvester, and they just rat pack them. They set up their nests in the vicinity of the harvesters or fires, and when their numbers are enough, it's all over. Argentines can survive in lower temperatures than either native species mentioned, which gives them an advantage during the winter. Their colonies also merge and work together, which other ant species don't do. Talk about unwanted aliens!!

[Ptarmigan]

Salt works well on fire ant bites.