Swarms of flying ants appear every summer which can encourage seagull activity throughout the UK. These flying ant swarms are not a cause for concern, but just a natural part of their reproduction process. In recent years, Flying Ant Day has occurred in the second half of July, so if the weather is good, you can expect to see these millions of ants swarming.
Every year in the UK, usually in July, there comes a day when millions of flying ants emerge from their nest - this day has come to be known as 'Flying Ant Day'. The flying ants duration can last a few weeks but they more often than not, it builds up to a specific day when millions of these insects come out at the same time all over the UK. The day changes every year, but at some point in July, it will feel like an invasion of flying ants!
Regular garden ants have one queen and around 5000 worker ants - these are females which are usually seen collecting food for the colony. Only new queens and young male ants will have wings and will leave the colony to mate to create one of their own.
As an important phase in the reproduction of the species, young male and new queen ants take flight, known as the 'nuptial flight' to find a mate and pair off. Once mating has occurred, new queens lose their wings and start looking for somewhere to start their new nest. The large number of flying ants appearing all at once increases the chances of reproduction being successful.
Previous years has seen hundreds of seagulls congregating across beach towns in the UK appearing to act crazy. Seagulls are particularly fond of these creatures, they like to feast on flying ants and can appear 'drunk' on their abundance! Having little regard for their own safety across roads, they're also seen flocking in their hundreds in parks to snack on flying ants.
Flying ants don't pose much of a risk to people other than being irritating, keep your windows closed and they should disappear within a few days. Ants are good for the environment helping to aerate soil, improve garden fertility, control pests and provide a vital food resource for many species of birds.
However, if you're experiencing multiple and separate occurrences of ant infestation, a professional can carry out pest control for ants effectively. If ants continue to return, even after multiple home treatments, get in touch with AJ Pest Control.
As licensed professionals, we can investigate the issue and recommend the best form of treatment going forward. We'll also provide advice and recommendations for preventing ant infestations and the need for professional pest control for ants in the future.
