Watch Out Texas: This Invasive Ant Is Dangerous And Potentially Deadly

In my lifetime here in Texas, I've been bitten by the following animals: a chihuahua, a prairie dog, and a monkey. Yes, a monkey. I have a monkey bite scar

However, no bite caused me as many problems as the red ant bites my daughter and I received.

We were both allergic and had to go to the doctor to have our bites lanced and treated with antibiotics.

My ankle was huge and I had difficulty walking for a while. Now, I hate these jerks, and I bet you do too.

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Perhaps I could forgive them, but they aren't even supposed to be here. Fire ants are an invasive species that have done all kinds of other harm to our Texas ecosystem.

According to the Texas A&M Agri Life Extention, fire ants were accidentally imported in the 1930s from South America. It has since thrived and replaced native ants, who provided specialized food for other native wildlife.

A single bite will likely just be obnoxious to you (or a medical chore, like it was for me) however, fire ants like to sting in swarms.

According to World Atlas, that much ant venom can have seriously adverse effects, like, "cramping, nausea and vomiting, digestive issues, swollen tongue, and trouble breathing."

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And if you're allergic like me, being bitten that much can lead to anaphylactic shock and prove potentially deadly.

According to a scientific study on the subject, 14 Texans died of fire ant bites before 1989, so there almost certainly have been more since then.

For tips on how to rid your property of fire ants, head here.