Fire Ant Venom

• Causes immediate pain

• Alkaloid venom kills tissue

  • White pustule forms ~ 24 hours

  • Heals in 10 to 14 days

• Composition

  • 95% alkaloids (6-n-alkyl or alkenyl, 2 methyl piperidines)
    • Potent necrotoxic effects (kill tissue and results in pustule formation)

    • Do not produce allergic effects in humans

  • 5% aqueous solution of proteins, peptides and small molecules
    • One protein (Sol i I) causes allergic responses in people allergic to bee and wasp venom

    • Three other proteins are not related to bee or wasp venom