Red imported fire ants live in large colonies and build dome-shaped mounds that may contain more than 200,000 ants! They like to build mounds in open, sunny areas like yards, pastures, and gardens. During very hot or dry weather, fire ants will dig deeply into the soil to find cooler temperatures. However, soon after rain or thorough watering, their mounds will “magically” reappear because the ants are trying to escape from the water that flooded their mound. It may seem like there are more ants, but it is more likely that the ants already present are just building a new mound. Fire ants are very aggressive and will protect their mounds from any threat. When their mound is disturbed they will rush out of it in large numbers and will sting anything within their reach. This aggressive behavior is why so many people get stung — usually more than once. A few hours to a day after a fire ant stings, a red blister that contains fluid will form.