Man's arm swells after getting bitten by 'most poisonous' ant in Toa Payoh
TNP
October 28, 2024
A 40-year-old man was on a bus heading home from Toa Payoh on the afternoon of Oct 22 when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his arm.
When he glanced down, he saw a small ant had stung him, leaving behind a red spot.
After conducting some research, he found out the ant was the most poisonous species of ants in the area.
Mr Liu told Shin Min Daily News: "The stinging sensation was so bad that I moved the ant into a plastic bottle so I could show it to a doctor."
Later that night, he checked on the red spot again but it had disappeared.
However, white spots started to appear around the wound and gradually spread into a red patch.
"I snapped a picture of the wound and showed it to my friend who is a doctor. He told me the ant bite had resulted in inflammation."
Photos provided by Mr Liu show his arm visibly swollen and red.
He noted that he had previously been bitten by insects and ants during outdoor activities in the woods or at the beach, but had never experienced a case as serious as this.
Online research pointed out the "culprit", a species of ant named Tetraponera Rufonigra.
The ant is characterised by a black head and abdomen, a red central body, thick, short antennae and long, narrow legs.
Its bite can cause swelling, pain, a burning sensation and sometimes itching.
Mr Liu applied medicated oil on the wound and his condition began to improve after four days.
