We have a new volunteer here. Rosie arrived a couple days ago and she's from Minnesota. On my way home from my night shift the other night I saw her setting up and Jim, my neighbor and another volunteer, was over there helping her with something. It was getting fairly dark but it wasn't pitch black yet. I went over to see if they needed a hand. Seems she couldn't get her slide out so I suggested that she manually crank it out and so we went to the other side of her rig, in search of the area where she would do this. As she inspected the area of her rig where she thought it should be, I stood and watched. I thought the mosquitoes were being unusually pesky as I swatted at the biting culprits, on my legs, but it didn't stop and got worse...I looked down and could faintly make out that the ground under my feet was lighter in color and there were were small, dark objects climbing up my socks and biting my legs just above my socks.....fire ants...I politely excused myself and ran into the house, pulling my socks and sneakers off...killing all the ones I could see...but not before getting about a dozen bites on my ankles.
So, here I sit...baking soda plaster applied to both ankles...two days after the fact and they still itch like mad. When these critters bite, they leave a big welt, then it starts to itch and if you break it open, then it starts to ooze like a blister. Reminds me of the time, as a kid, while out watching my dad build fences, that I discovered that I had been standing on a red ant hill. My brother picked me up over his shoulder and ran to the house with me....screaming for my mom while running. Once we got to the house, my mom ripped my clothes off of me and put me in the bathtub. My brother was stomping on stray ants, in the house, as they fell off my legs. My skin was crawling for many hours afterwards but I don't remember the bites being as bad as what these guys inflict. Must be karma coming back to "bite me"...for my brother killing all their cousins years ago.
If anyone has any special poultice or concoction that will help with the itching, feel free to let me know. These things may be small but they pack a mighty punch.
3 comments:
Here's a whole page of suggestions....good luck! Having lived in FL for many years I know how you are feeling.
Yuck, do you have problems with these little critters getting into the rig? I hope the new volunteer set up some other place.
Also, your rig is fabulous. How long are you from bumper to bumper? Do you have to used pull through sites? LindaDelJ
Ok, when our daughters use to play soccer in Texas we learned to keep a bottle of McCormick Meat Tenderizer in the soccer bag for fire ants. Put some of the powder in your hand, add a little water, make a paste and slap it on. Worked every time. The other thing we used was Willard water www.drwillard.com which can be purchased on line. Our Aunt who lived in Florida swore by it. It also helps with burns, take the hurt out right away and promotes healing.
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