Fire Ants- I HATE you!

I REALLY REALLY REALLY will never miss Fire Ants in my whole life. Of course our last full week in Florida we couldn't get by without them leaving their lasting impressions upon us.

First attack last Tuesday. Cinch and I were making the 1.5 mile walk to Daniel's horse barn. Everything was going as usual. Stopping to pick up sticks- playing swords with sticks- watching tractors go by- walking by mom- mom carrying Cinch- picking up sea shells from the road, ect... And then it happened. I was about 10' in front on Cinch trying to get him to keep walking as he was pushing dirt with his newly found stick. I turn to walk a few more feet hoping to seal the deal when I hear him yell BUGS!! OUCH!! I run back to get him- Fire ants all over his feet and legs. Slapping them all dead. Think I got them all and pick Cinch up to comfort him and then he yells BUGS! again. I look down and they are on his arms and neck. The awful creatures had crawled under his shirt with out me knowing. I rip of his shirt and continue to kill them all and then realize they have transferred to me. And of all awful places they bite me- they get me in my armpit! It hurt so bad! Needless to say I carried Cinch the last mile to the barn and had a sore armpit for 4 days!

Second attack- Thanksgiving afternoon. While Cinch was herding his calf around I was taking a video of it not paying attention to where I was walking- And then all I could fell was bugs biting my feet and crawling up my legs. Oh I was so mad! Daniel helped get them off but they had done the damage. So the last two nights and mornings I have been trying to control my habit of scratching because it only makes the bites hurt more- but I am a scratcher I have to scratch! And if the armpit wasn't enough- how about in between the toes- I HATE FIRE ANTS! The damage of 1 foot is pictured below. Bugs aren't supposed to be alive in late November- I don't think they got the memo.