Fire Ant Attack

You can't live in Houston for long without falling victim to fire ants. I am told that these little buggers made their way here from Brazil. They are terrible. The welts last for days and burn and itch. Yesterday I was attacked by fire ants while on my bicycle! Yes, it is hard to believe, but it happened. There is a spot where I must cross the grassy area dividing the freeway from the feeder road. After it has been raining it is pretty soggy in that grassy area, and under those conditions my back tire invariably spins out as I'm trying to climb the embankment up onto the feeder road. That's how the ants got me. I must have been spinning out in one of their mounds. The tire flicked some of them up onto me. I didn't notice them until I was headed down the feeder and felt sharp pains in my leg. I pulled over and picked off all of the ants that I could find (apparently I found them all). There is an alternative explanation. I did have to put my foot down for a little bit after I spun out and maybe they crawled onto me then, but I don't think so. They would have got caught up in my shoe and sock and I didn't find any on my shoe or sock. They were on my calf and thigh. So, you're on your bike, or in your car even and you think that you are safe from fire ants? Think again. They can attack anywhere, anywhen.