Myrmecophobia is the inexplicable fear of ants. It is a type of specific phobia. It is common for those who suffer from myrmecophobia to also have a wider fear of insects in general. Such a condition is known as entomophobia. This fear can manifest itself in several ways, such as a fear of ants contaminating a person's food supply, or fear of a home invasion by large numbers of ants. Ants come near residential areas in search of food.

Fire ants can specifically react to human scents as well; they then crawl up the legs of their victims to bite them. Red ant stings cause intense pain, itchiness and might require immediate medical attention. Carpenter ants and black ants are attracted to wood and can cause destruction of property as well as landscaping. These facts could trigger Myrmecophobia in some individuals. In general, people with an intense dislike of insects tend to also dislike or fear ants.

Fear of ants might have evolutionary roots when early humans had to sleep and eat in the open where ants often bit them or contaminated their food. The human brains are thus pre-programmed to feel a disgust response at the sight of ants. Ant bites are often known to cause severe allergic reactions in some individuals.

Fire Ants can actually kill larger animals and can also be fatal to humans. Fire ant stings can cause the throat to swell up due to which the victim might suffocate and choke. While this is rare, such news reports can cause panic waves among people.

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