Fire ants can do a lot of damage

In the 2015 movie “Antman,” Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) develops an armored suit that can shrink someone to the size of an ant and give that tiny creature superhuman strength. When the technology falls into the wrong hands, the bad guys figure that an army of these ferocious “ants” can take over the world.

In many parts of this country, another army of ferocious ants — red imported fire ants — have taken over backyards and fields (did you see the floating masses in Hurricane Harvey’s backwaters?). They’ve been spreading up from the Gulf Coast since they first arrived on a South American cargo ship in the 1930s.

You’ll find their moundlike nests (always call professionals for their removal) in sunny, open areas like playgrounds, parks, golf courses and lawns. If you or your child stumbles across one, the ants swarm out and attack.

Soothe the sting: A welt from a sting appears within 24 hours and turns into a white pustule. Itching can last for days; corticosteroid ointments and oral antihistamines can help, but don’t break the blister. If you do, clean the area with soap and water to avoid a secondary reaction. Most reactions don’t require a trip to the emergency room. Unfortunately, some people have an allergic response that triggers hives, difficulty breathing and even life-threatening anaphylaxis, which requires a shot of epinephrine.

The bleach boys

When Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys recorded “409” in 1962 (“My four speed, dual-quad, positraction four-oh-nine”), it referred to Chevrolet’s hotrod, eight-cylinder, 409-cubic-inch engine. Around the same time, the spray cleaner Formula 409 hit the shelves. TV host Art Linkletter and his business partners then purchased it for $30,000, and a few years later, after Linkletter promoted the product in television commercials, they sold it to Clorox for $7 million.

A study in the journal Environmental and Occupational Medicine says that frequent use of toxic, bleachbased household cleaning products causes a two-fold increase in the risk for asthma in adults 19 to 24.

There are cleaning products with fewer harsh toxins and volatile organic chemicals. But a good scrub with soap, water and a little vinegar often will do the trick. If you must use harsh cleansers, make sure the area is well-ventilated and that no children or pets are around, and wear protective eyewear.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.