Biting Insects

[JD]

I was bitten on the arm by an ant on Tuesday morning. I didn’t feel it bite me at all, but someone pointed out an ant on my knee and I flicked it off.

The ant was quite large, black at the front end and red at the back, with a very thin mid section.

That afternoon my arm swelled up like a balloon, it’s started to go down a bit know, but has been very painful over the past few days.

The wife says the ant is called Mot Dtaa Noi, it doesn’t really bite you as it has a sting in it’s tail. She said as a youngster she was bitten (stung) four or five times by these things and her foot swelled to twice the size, very painful.

Be careful when sitting on cool concrete out of the sun, this seems to be the favourite habitat for these ants.

I’m just glad I was also wearing long jeans and trainers at the time.

[nevets]

you would not want to work on my land in nonshumsang then all sorts of crepicrawlys and the various ants bite like hell.

[JW]

Relative of the red fire ant I think, can be nasty if lots of them get at you.

[richard]

Got bitten by a scorpion 12 months ago. Initially no pain and swelling. When I got back to HH about a week later the swelling in my arm started.

No pain but an immense amount of fluid round my elbow. Had it lanced at the Polyclinic and the nurses were amazed at the amount of fluid/poison was extracted.

Still discharges to this day but close to completion now.

Moral----Dont lie on a straw mat in the middle of a paddy field with the locals drinking and eating!!!!!!!

[Randy Cornhole]

I was out cycling last year and suddenly needed an urgent poo! (no I coudn't wait) I selected a covert bush and proceeded to offload the unwanted cargo. All of a sudden I felt great pain, on looking down my feet and legs were covered in big red ants, and they bit like hell. I promptly started to leap about, tackle akimbo. Needless to say a certain ammount of crop spraying occured. The result was loads of itchy bites and a ruined pair of perfectly serviceable 'Marks & Spencer' boxer shorts......

[buksida]

you are indeed a wordsmith mr cornholio.

[norm]

That was a dandy Randy.

[lomuamart]

Relative of the red fire ant I think, can be nasty if lots of them get at you.

Reckon you're right there. Fire ant, bull ant, soldier ant or relative. They're all nasty. Bite and sting.
One got me down on Samui. It was like a wasp sting. Ouch.

[PET]

I have found that Ammonia Spirit, applied early, usually knocks many bites on the head - it can be purchased from chemists. Not sure about these large ants though. PET

[crazy88]

Surprised nobody has mentioned the centipedes .Relative to scalapendra that you get in Europe .Some of them REALLY hurt.and make you feel very ill afterwards .That said I have not seen many in Hua Hin and have never been bitten here . Half a lime dipped in msg and applied directly to the bite works well and quickly .For scorpions also .


Crazy88

[Big Boy]

crazy88,

I must say, I have seen more in Hua Hin than anywhere else (not that i go looking for them mind). I've rented a couple of houses in the Soi 63 area, and on each occassion we have had quite a few unwanted visitors.

My wife loves it, she scares the hell out of my Son and I with her old wives tales about what they do to you - a size 14 boot normally resolves the problem though

[crazy88]

Maybe we are lucky BB .Hate the things with a passion .Had a couple drowned in the swimming pool over the last couple of years in the wet season .Other than that only seen them running around near drains and standing rubbish in town .As you say they are easily removed from circulation once spotted if you are quick enough .

Crazy88

[Procyon]

Yes those "takarp" are evil things be sure to check them once you have 'killed" one, half the time they are still alive!

[JW]

4 or so years ago one of these centipedes crawled through the bar - it stopped and i saw my chance (had a few beers by then) jumped on the its head..... BUT it wasnt its head it was the tail. The thing spun round a got me right on the big toe. Any way staff took me to San Paolo to get it checked and after 6 or so hours of really nasty pain it went away. Looking back kinda funny that the bugger got me, lesson - always make sure that you do indeed get the head!

Seriously some people can have a nasty reaction to the venom, one reported death of a child bit in the throat in Asia. The relative from America has venom as potent as a rattlesnake! (not the childs relative!!)

[lomuamart]

A small centipede got me years ago. I've still got the scar on my ankle. Terrible pain and swelling for over a week and of course the injury got infected, which didn't help.
I just give them a wide berth these days. They're very rarely fatal with the bite, but it certainly hurts.
BTW, they're apparantly an "endangered species over here???? So, don't kill them. Try to release them back into the wild.
That last bit is from some internet article I saw a while back. It also suggested you don't handle them unless you knew what you're doing.

I reckon they all need to the zapped.