I’m not talking about bites or stings. And I’m not talking about rashes, but rather, an annoying sensation. Could it be something to do with the chemical trail that ants leave behind (the type used to make ant trails)? Or could it be sprays of acid? When a single ant crawls on me, it makes my skin crawl. When a jumping spider (10 times the size of that ant) hops and crawls on my skin, I don’t feel a thing. I know I keep asking questions about arthropods, so do bear with me!
2006-09-28 23:42:07 · 3 answers · asked by Yahoo user 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
It must be the chemical trail the ants are leaving on you. When they squirt acid, they lift their abdomen upward, so it wont drop on you're skin.
Also, they have those fine hairs on their legs, to help with climbing, maybe the hairs are scratching you and causing the irritation.
I had a ant farm, but I was lucky, after years of bites and acid squirts (from African red ant if I might add) I seem immune to ant venom. Maybe the irritation will go with time.
Good luck.
2006-09-28 23:53:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anria A 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not caused by virus or bacteria, that's just silly.
Ants belong to the Family Formicidae because many secrete Formic Acid from their bodies as a defence mechanism. They don't have to spray it from their abdomens. Formic acid is the same stuff found in stinging nettles. So it could be this that your skin is reacting to.
2006-09-29 00:27:57 · answer #2 · answered by Chiasmata 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they got viruses and bacteria's attached to their legs.
2006-09-28 23:49:24 · answer #3 · answered by Fishi 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋