Fire ants are named after their painful bites and stings, which can feel like fire. Typically smaller ants, around 1/8th of an inch long, they can be identified by their coloring. The body of the fire ant is a light red color, and the abdomen will be darker. (see picture) Usually they will nest outside in a large, flat mound. But when fire ants nest inside they prefer warm places in wood or masonry, and eat just about anything. Fire ants have a strange attraction to metal electrical boxes, and in numbers they can cause electrical problems. Finding and treating the nest can be especially important to control these pests.