Stinging Ants at Karpata!

[uncfnp]

I hate to make it a thread but just adding a post to another it might not be seen.

Just an FIY that Karpata has an infestation of stinging ants and I found them. The itch has been pretty miserable so wanted to warn others to be careful. We were parked under the trees in a shaded area just north of the steps and facing the ocean.

Be careful and look over the area before you decide where to take an SI or gear up!

 

[Kharon]

Any hints on what to look for, what they look like, areas to stay out of, etc?

 

[uncfnp]

They were the small redish brown ants. Fire ants? And they were in the dirt area north of the steps to the dive. That is where they got me. Didn't see them till they were up my leg bitting (ouch!) but I imaging they would have been obvious if I had looked around the ground first.

 

[gbf]

Don't yall have fire ants up there in the frozen tundra of NC?

From the age of starting to crawl, every child of the deep south knows to look for ants...

(j/k)

 

[uncfnp]

I must have had a sheltered childhood since I had never even heard of fire ants until my adult life. The stings didn't form pustules as I have seen fire ant stings do to others but they have itched like mad. And that is on prednisone.

We have parked in that area on many past trips but this was the first time with that problem. I am sure it is an ideal area for them but I think too others have been throwing down leftover snacks and unwittingly encouraged the infestation. A shame since it is a nice shaded area for a sunny Bonaire afternoon break between dives.

 

[redacted]

Most folks are content to just feed the lizards. Thanks

 

[scubafanatic]

Ants seem pretty hard working whenever I watch them here, so they were probably on vacation too.

 

[Ray and Pam]

Hey, they got to eat and if you're sitting on their sandwich....
In North Carolina it was the redbugs in the pine trees you had to watch out for..

 

[uncfnp]

Hey, they got to eat and if you're sitting on their sandwich....
In North Carolina it was the redbugs in the pine trees you had to watch out for..

Yes. I am all too familiar with chiggers!

 

[gfaith]

Divers from Texas imported them?... Maybe