Flying Ant Day date declared amid bumper swarm warning that could last weeks
Flying Ant Day 2023 has been declared by Twitter users after people reported being surrounded by swarms of the critters.
The phenomenon refers to a specific time in the summer months when flying ants finally take the skies in search of a mate. Usually falling at the start or middle of July - experts warn this year could see the flying ants stick around for much longer than usual.
Many people across the UK have today reported flying ants taking over the skies, with social media users claiming they were surrounded by swarms. Cl-Argh said: "Oh god. It's that day... Flying ants EVERYWHERE." - while Zoe Hall wrote: "Must be flying ant day as I’ve just had to walk through a million of them to get home!."
Another added: "Out on the river at lunchtime for a quick look. Got back to the car and found it covered in flying ants. It's been a while since I have seen so many" - with another adding: "Happy flying ant day to those who celebrate. These flying ants are seriously fearless now. One came flying inside when I opened the door and the other was chilling in the car".
The phenomenon refers to a specific time in the summer months when flying ants finally take the skies in search of a mate (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Mach said: "Stuck in the car at Sainsburys as flying ants have their moment. Feels like I’m in The Swarm but there’s no disillusioned 1970s Michael Caine to save me.. Another said: "These flying ants are a f***ing nightmare today. One just flew into my cleavage on the bus and I just had to panic and attack it out", reports the Birmingham Mail.
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Mark wrote: "It’s Flying Ant Day in my garden in Raunds, North Northants (as described in Reflections, pp23-24). The birds don’t seem to have noticed yet. It’s a great wildlife spectacle for a garden patch."
Combined with the hottest June on record, it's likely to be a bumper year for flying ants, it's been claimed.
Paul Blackhurst, Technical Academy Head at Rentokil Pest Control, said: "Flying ant day, also known as the nuptial flight, is a natural phenomenon in which high numbers of ants with wings, called alates, take to the air simultaneously in search of mates from other colonies.
“The term "flying ant day" often leads to the misconception that this annual occurrence takes place all on one day. In truth, on almost all warm summer days you can find a few flying ants, but when the weather is just right we might see tens of millions take to the skies across Britain in giant swarms over a few weeks.
"While it can be a temporary nuisance, this mass flight helps the ants to overwhelm predators such as swifts and gulls, thereby increasing their chances of survival.
“Following a wet start to the spring this year, followed by the very warm weather we’ve been experiencing, the conditions are ripe for bumper swarms.
"Humidity plays a crucial role in the life cycle of ants, particularly during the nuptial flight, keeping their wings and bodies moist as they mate on the wing."
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