Is it just me or is their venom getting stronger ?

Tornado night last week I apparently stepped in a puddle full of 'em and didn't realize it for about 30 minutes . I got bit on the feet , ankles , thighs , arms , ( not gonna mention the one who reached "the boys" ): about 15 in total . I'm pretty much used to them but these sunny beaches really HURT this time .

Can you build up a sensitivity to fire ants ?

i think you build immunity
the more you are bit

Might not have been "fire" ants. No personal experience, but I've heard there are a few new imports out there that act the same but with a worse bite.

Talstar is your friend.

I pour gas on the piles, it does a good job and effective

There's different categories of fire ants within the colony. My guess is that since they were already alarmed due to the storm and probable flooding of their nest, is that you got bit by a bunch of the soldier class ants, versus the typical worker ant you'd typically get bit by. The soldier class is twice the size of the workers. I presume that they also carry more and possibly stronger venom.

Amdro works great.

I've heard of the Argentinian " crazy ants " and this is possible . The front flowerbeds have ants that fit that description . I buy a lot of plants from the big box stores . I now have a decent population of house geckos so it's not a big stretch of the imagination to think other foreign species have set up housekeeping here .

I'm experienced . Most of these were smaller worker ants .

You can also take a shovel-full from one mound and dump it on another mound . They don't like that .

Honestly , I really don't mind them that much because they keep the flea / tick populations down . I keep them out of the yard but they own the pasture .

Yes it do !

Corn meal works wonders as well .