Invasive ant from Asia with quite a bite has now been found as far north as Evansville, Indiana

An invasive ant that has spread to the United States from Asia and can deliver a painful sting has spread and been found for the first time as far north as Evansville, Indiana.

“Other ants will bite,” Timothy Gibb, a Purdue University entomologist, said of the Asian needle ant’s sting, “but this is really new.”

The Asian needle ant’s native territory includes China, Japan and North and South Korea. First spotted in the United States in 1932, it has spread for several years through southeastern states like Florida and Georgia and recently was discovered around Evansville, according to Timothy Gibb, a Purdue University entomologist.

People shouldn’t panic over the ant’s arrival, he said, but should be aware of its dangers.

“It can be lethal,” he said, though, “in most cases, it’s just going to hurt like crazy.”

Gibb said anyone who’s hyper-allergic to stings from insects like bees or wasps should be prepared with treatment such as an EpiPen.