Ants have been shown to be capable of transmitting Staph and Strep in these kinds of environments. Fire ants build their nests on school grounds. These nests often contain more than 100,000 ants. During recess and physical education classes, children often are stung when they step into the nests while playing. Fierce defenders of their nests, fire ants can inflict scores to hundreds of painful stings to children.
Fire ants cause one to two deaths a year in Florida.
Many kinds of wasps often build nests under eaves and in playground equipment. Wasps savagely defend their nests often stinging children who play nearby. Wasps and bees are the leading cause of death by venomous animals in the United States. Rodents are often found living in and under school buildings. Rats and mice contaminate stored food with their droppings and urine.