California Hiker Airlifted To Hospital After Being Stung By Fire Ants On Trail

A California hiker was airlifted to nan infirmary aft being stung by fire ants connected a trail.

The Montecito Fire Department and Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue rushed to thief nan injured female Tuesday greeting astatine nan West Fork of nan Cold Springs Trail.

She had “suffered an allergic guidance aft coming into interaction pinch occurrence ants,” Montecito Fire wrote successful a Facebook post.

A Santa Barbara County chopper recovered nan hiker earlier firefighters could scope her connected foot, and a rescuer was lowered to “hoist her out,” according to authorities.

“She was flown to nan infirmary for further aesculapian treatment,” nan occurrence section said.

The hiker’s existent information is not clear.

One personification who commented connected nan occurrence department’s Facebook station said, “Thank you for everything you do.”

The Cleveland Clinic warns that, while it’s rare, occurrence ant bites tin origin life-threatening reactions. The painful, itchy bites are usually recovered connected a person’s legs and feet, according to experts.

A occurrence ant is simply a red-tinged insect, according to nan aesculapian center, and its size ranges from astir 1 millimeter, aliases astir nan extremity of a pencil, to 5 mm, astir nan size of a pencil eraser. It has six legs and 2 pinching mandibles that protrude from its head. It has a pouch of venom and a stinger connected its rear end.

A personification usually gets bitten by a occurrence ant erstwhile they measurement connected nan crushed wherever nan bugs live, and their tegument is exposed, nan Cleveland Clinic explains.

Fire ant bites first origin a burning aliases stinging sensation, followed by itchy bumps aliases welts that yet move into blisters, experts say. These blisters usually clear up successful astir a week.

In nan uncommon lawsuit that a occurrence ant wound causes anaphylaxis, nan personification whitethorn acquisition dizziness and a alteration successful humor pressure, nan Cleveland Clinic warns. They whitethorn moreover suffer consciousness aliases spell into cardiac arrest.