PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — There are all kinds of reasons to stay out of flood waters from Hurricane Sally and other storms on the Gulf Coast, snakes, gators, downed power lines. But there’s also a hidden hazard that could leave you burning for days, literally.

Floating islands of fire ants sound like something out of a nightmare or a horror film. But they are real, and they are painful if you get mixed up with one. WKRG News 5 photographer Jason Garcia has been covering storms for decades. So it was no surprise to him that he was able to capture an island of the irritating insects on camera at Civitian Park in Pensacola.

Fire ant attacks can be quite painful, causing huge white pus-filled sting marks, even causing entire limbs to swell. WebMD.com offers several suggestions for treating the stings.

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