Georgia Mom Dies After Accidentally Stepping on Fire Ant Hill [Video]

A woman has died after she accidentally stepped on a hill of fire ants near her home, her family has said.

Cathy Weed, who lived in Lawrenceville, Georgia, suffered a severe allergic reaction after stepping on the pile of fire ants on June 24, according to local news outlets. She died before she could receive treatment.Fire Ant Stings Known to Induce Life-Threatening Allergic Reactions

Fire ants are a type of stinging ant that usually live in mounds of mud in the ground. They can be found in several U.S. states and can sometimes become invasive. Fire ants are one of the most common types of ants in Georgia, but are not native.

While fire ants do bite, for most people the pain is far less than that of a bee sting, and usually just results in swelling and redness.

But for people with a fire ant allergy, stings can cause a life-threatening situation called anaphylaxis—a severe allergic reaction …