“””””These ants apparently will attack even if you just come near the nests.”””””
Fire ants do that and they raise little pus pockets at the bite.
Doing property surveying in Harris County (Houston) my frequent exposure to them came from having to find the property rods at the long neglected corners of properties, which frequently meant a lot of machete work, searching with a metal detector and a lot of digging and searching for the rod with a shovel, which could be anywhere, including many feet down.
Rattlesnakes will move but the fire ants come after you and if their mound happens to be where you have to dig or probe, or close to where you are hitting the ground with a pick and shovel, then it becomes a real mess.
Carry a gallon jug of bleach in your truck.............
A spray bottle with a watered down solution of bleach and water, one part bleach to three parts water, can be used to neutralize the chemical left behind by fire ant bites, providing relief from itching............