What are flying Ants?
Flying ants are normal ants that have wings. While they can be annoying, flying ants are actually quite harmless. The UK has more than one quadrillion (that’s 16 zeros) of ants. Many species of ants can be found in the country. Most of them fly or swarm. The black garden insect is the flying ant that we most often see. Black ants measure between 4-5 and 15mm long. Queens can grow up to 15mm. They build tunnels and nest in the ground.
Why do flying ants flock every year?
The winged female ants, as well as the male ants, can fly and swarm. They leave their nests and swarm in order to reproduce and establish new colonies. Once they’re airborne, the queens mate and mate with their male counterparts. After mating, the male passes away and the queen chews her wings. Then she crawls about looking for a place where she can build a nest to start a new colony.
One reason ants flock together is to protect them from predators (mainly birds), and give them better chances of finding their mates.
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When do flying insects swarm?
When the conditions are perfect, flying ants only make an appearance on one day in the summer months. This usually happens in July or august when it’s hot, humid, and dry. But they do not swarm all over the country on the same days as the conditions are different – the ‘flying anth day’ is a myth. Swarms usually disappear after only a few days.
Why is it worth killing flying ants?
Flying ants are a sign of the birth of a new ant colony. You can prevent future problems by getting rid of them before they swarm, or when they start to swarm.
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