Chinese ant with deadly sting sweeping US

Another deadly Asian superbug is invading the US.

Officials are raising the alarm as invasive ants from Asia are sweeping their way across the US, threatening people with their potentially deadly sting.

Originally hailing from China, these social insects were first discovered in the US in 1932, when they cropped up in Georgia — although officials suspected the bugs were present stateside before then.

Since then, the population has swarmed across 20 states with the highest concentrations reported in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, according to Antmaps.org.

However, there have also been significant surges in Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Wisconsin and even New York.

The needle ant also reared its antenna’d head in Texas, where bioscience expert Scott Egan said told Click2Houston that it’s “important to be aware of this new invader, but we need to learn more.”

A needle in a haystack

These ants are especially insidious as they resemble many other species, making these chameleonic critters difficult to distinguish from their local counterparts.

According to researchers, they’re generally mottled brown or black with long, slender bodies that measure between 1/4 and 1.8 of an inch long.

Perhaps their most notable attribute is their giant stinger, which was earned them the Japanese moniker Oo-hari-ari, meaning “giant needle ant,” USA Today reported.

A gi-ant pain

Getting stung is excruciating. “Imagine somebody inserting a needle directly into your flesh,” said Benoit Guénard, an entomology professor at the University of Hong Kong who studied needle ants in North Carolina. “It’s a very sharp, acute pain, but it’s quite local.”

Meanwhile, the US Department of Agriculture reports that the pain comes and goes “over the course of several hours.”

To make matters worse, envenomation can result in a host of symptoms, ranging from redness at the sting site to hives and even anaphylaxis — a potentially deadly allergic reaction marked by respiratory problems, swelling in the throat and a rapid heartbeat.

In 2024, three people in Georgia died from this condition after getting tagged by their stinger, which is reportedly sharp enough to pierce clothing.

Along with threatening human health, they also pose a risk to the environment as well. Asian needle ants outcompete species that are crucial for seed dispersal, which can cause ecological mayhem.

“Thus, this invasive species could have dramatic, long-term negative effects on forest understory,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Here to stay

Unfortunately, getting rid of these Asian invaders could be an uphill battle, as among other characteristics, they’re extremely hard to detect. Unlike invasive South American fire ants, which erect obvious dome-like mounds, needle ants prefer to reside beneath stones or in rotting wood.

They also don’t form visible foraging trails or march in obvious columns, making them doubly difficult to spot.

In addition, experts haven’t outlined a formal method of eradicating these invaders. While protein-based pesticide baits seem to be most effective, according to North Carolina State University, they generally only mitigate the threat rather than eliminating it entirely.

“Unfortunately, as with many invasive species, it appears Asian needle ants are here to stay,” the USDA stated.

Fortunately, experts say we could learn to live in harmony with these stinging critters, just as we have with the other invaders.

“They’re not aggressive, they don’t swarm the way fire ants do,” said Andrew Johnston, an insect diagnostician at Purdue University’s Department of Entomology. “Wear gloves and pay attention to what you’re grabbing.”

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Taylor Swift Eras Lawsuit, Tupac Shakur Case, Spotify Ruling: Law News

THE BIG STORY: Congress loves a “backronym” — awkwardly forcing certain words into the name of new legislation to create a catchy acronym. Want to call your sweeping new surveillance bill the USA PATRIOT Act? Easy peasy: just call it the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act. What could go wrong?

But such creative branding does not have the force of law — at least according to a new ruling last week on the federal BOTS (Better Online Ticket Sales) Act and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

The Federal Trade Commission sued ticket broker Key Investment Group LLC last year, claiming it had violated the statute by using “illegal means” to purchase more than 379,000 event tickets on Ticketmaster, including 2,280 for Swift’s record-shattering Eras concerts.

The BOTS Act, passed in 2016, was clearly named to riff on “bots” — automated crawlers that buy up tickets before real humans can do so. And in response to the FTC lawsuit, Key Investment argued that it had never used any such methods.

But in his ruling, the judge said bots were never actually mentioned in the law: “The statute unambiguously applies to ‘any person’ and not just to ‘bots,’” the judge said. “Courts have rejected relying on a statute’s name or acronym as evidence of the law’s plain meaning.”

You heard it here first: BOTS — it’s not just for bots.

You’re reading The Legal Beat, a weekly newsletter about music law from Billboard Pro, offering you a one-stop cheat sheet of big new cases, important rulings and all the fun stuff in between. To get the newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday, subscribe here.

Madrid Open: Anastasia Potapova becomes first lucky loser to reach WTA 1000 semi-final

Meanwhile, in the men’s tournament, world number one Sinner is through to the Madrid semi-finals for the first time.

The Italian beat 19-year-old home favourite Rafael Jodar 6-2 7-6 (7-0) in just shy of two hours.

He is bidding for his fifth ATP Masters 1,000 title in a row, having won in Paris late last year and already secured the Indian Wells, Miami Open and Monte Carlo titles in 2026.

But the four-time Grand Slam champion was made to work in the quarter-final as Madrid-born Jodar showed why there are such high hopes for what he can achieve in the coming years, going toe-to-toe with Sinner in the second set.

“Tough challenge, I knew before the match that he was going to be very tough to beat, especially here, he’s from here and he knows exactly how to play in these conditions,” Sinner told Sky Sports.

Sinner quickly took control, saving a break point when 2-1 down before reeling off five straight games to win the first set.

The second was much more closely contested though, with Jodar earning break points at 3-2 and 4-3. But each time Sinner held firm.

Jodar saved three break points himself to hold and go up 5-4 and held serve again to ensure at least a tiebreak.

But Sinner showed his class, swiftly holding to love before putting on a masterclass in the breaker, winning it without dropping a point.

“I’ve got a little bit more experience and in the second set got a little bit lucky at times with a couple of lines and net cords,” he added.

“But I tried to keep the level as high as I could… I’m happy with how I ended the match.

“[Jodar] is an incredible player. Spain has one more incredible player so it’s great for the sport.”

Sinner will face Arthur Fils in the last four after the Frenchman beat 11th seed Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic 6-3 6-4 in the later quarter-final on Wednesday.

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How to get suicide crisis care now, even if not in VA care

You don’t have to be enrolled in VA health care to access life-saving suicide prevention support. Emergent suicide care services covered by VA can help.

If you or a Veteran you know is facing a crisis, help is available right now. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or VA health care to use it.

Thanks to the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care & Treatment (COMPACT) Act Emergent Suicide Care benefit, eligible individuals can receive free emergency suicide crisis care at VA and community facilities, regardless of enrollment status. This benefit is designed to remove obstacles and make it easier for you to get support if you’re in a suicide crisis. Here’s what to know about accessing care and building support when having thoughts of suicide.

Get free emergency suicide crisis care, no enrollment required

Under the COMPACT Act, Veterans and other eligible individuals can receive free emergency care for an acute suicide crisis at VA medical centers (VAMC) or community emergency departments without enrolling in VA health care.

This benefit covers care related to acute suicide crises, including transportation, inpatient or acute crisis stabilization care for up to 30 days, and outpatient care for up to 90 days. If you’re in suicide crisis, you can go directly to your nearest emergency department or VAMC and let them know you served in the military and are in need of suicide crisis care. The goal of the COMPACT Act is simple: get help now and supportive ongoing care later.

Talk to someone right now, when you need it most

Sometimes the most important thing is knowing you’re not alone. The Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7 for Veterans, their families and those who care about them, whether you’re in immediate crisis or just need someone to talk to.

You don’t need to be enrolled in VA benefits or VA health care to use the Veterans Crisis Line, either. Trained responders can help you talk through what’s going on, explore options, and connect you to local resources if needed. To reach the Veterans Crisis Line, Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.

Before a crisis, find other supports that fit your needs

Everyone needs help from time to time, and help comes in many different forms. VA offers tools and resources to help you find the support that is right for you. These resources can help you explore options:

VA Resource Locator: A site that will help you find VA and community-based services near you, including mental health care, housing assistance, peer support and more.
Self-Check Assessment: A confidential tool that helps you reflect on stress, mood, and wellbeing and suggests next steps based on your responses.
Signs of Crisis: An educational resource about what to look for when experiencing stress that could lead to crisis. Everyone experiences crisis differently. Learning to recognize the signs that you or someone you care about might need extra support can empower you to act when you need to.
VA Safety Plan App: An app that guides you through identifying warning signs, coping strategies, people you can contact for support and ways to stay safe.

These tools are designed to help you build awareness, resilience and a sense of control over your own health care and well-being.

You’re not alone, and support is always available

Whether you’re navigating a difficult day or facing a crisis, you deserve support. Emergent suicide care and VA’s suicide prevention resources exist to make sure Veterans can get help quickly, respectfully and with ease.

If you need help, or if you’re worried about a Veteran you care about, resources are available for you, right now.

Contact the Veterans Crisis Line anytime: Dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255. We’re here for you.

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