California hiker airlifted after being stung by fireplace ants on path | EUROtoday

A California hiker was airlifted to the hospital after being stung by fireplace ants on a path.

The Montecito Fire Department and Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue rushed to assist the injured lady Tuesday morning on the West Fork of the Cold Springs Trail.

She had “suffered an allergic reaction after coming into contact with fire ants,” Montecito Fire wrote in a Facebook submit.

A Santa Barbara County helicopter discovered the hiker earlier than firefighters might attain her on foot, and a rescuer was lowered to “hoist her out,” based on authorities.

“She was flown to the hospital for further medical treatment,” the fireplace division mentioned.

The hiker’s present situation isn’t clear.

One one that commented on the fireplace division’s Facebook submit mentioned, “Thank you for everything you do.”

The Cleveland Clinic warns that, whereas it’s uncommon, fireplace ant bites may cause life-threatening reactions. The painful, itchy bites are normally discovered on an individual’s legs and ft, based on specialists.

A fireplace ant is a red-tinged insect, based on the medical middle, and its measurement ranges from about 1 millimeter, or in regards to the tip of a pencil, to five mm, across the measurement of a pencil eraser. It has six legs and two pinching mandibles that protrude from its head. It has a pouch of venom and a stinger on its rear finish.

An individual normally will get bitten by a hearth ant once they step on the bottom the place the bugs stay, and their pores and skin is uncovered, the Cleveland Clinic explains.

Fire ant bites first trigger a burning or stinging sensation, adopted by itchy bumps or welts that finally flip into blisters, specialists say. These blisters normally clear up in a few week.

In the uncommon case {that a} fireplace ant chew causes anaphylaxis, the particular person could expertise dizziness and a lower in blood strain, the Cleveland Clinic warns. They could even lose consciousness or go into cardiac arrest.