Latest news with #nuptialflight
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
How to get rid of flying ants: An expert's advice
A bug expert has revealed his top tips for tackling flying ants as the annual "flying ant day" phenomenon is set to return to Britain and Ireland as warmer weather persists. Swarms of winged black garden ants emerge from their nests for a "nuptial flight" — their reproductive phase — typically in July or August. They favour hot and humid conditions with low winds, ideally around 25C. Speaking on This Morning, Professor James Logan explained that shutting doors, using a screen, and putting your food away in sealable containers can help combat the insects. "The best thing you can do is just leave them alone, lock up the holes in your house and stop them coming in," he concluded.
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Why does flying ant day happen in the UK?
The annual 'flying ant day' phenomenon is set to return to Britain and Ireland as warmer weather persists. Swarms of winged black garden ants, Lasius niger, emerge from their nests for a 'nuptial flight', which is their reproductive phase. During this flight, virgin queen ants and male drones leave their nests to mate and seek out new colonies, with queens storing semen for future eggs and males dying after mating. This event typically occurs in July or August, favouring hot and humid conditions with low winds, ideally around 25C. While the swarms can be numerous and occasionally irritating, they are largely harmless to humans and play an important role in natural ecosystems, such as aerating soil and providing food for birds.
The Guardian
30-06-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Flying ants: why this year's mating season could be longer and more frenzied than ever
Name: Flying ants. Age: Their ancestors have been with us since the end of the Jurassic period. Appearance: Like ants, but airborne. What kind of ant can fly? They're just regular black garden ants. The wingless ones you see walking around most of the time are the infertile female workers. And the winged ones? They're the males and the young queens that take to the air on what is commonly called flying ant day. When is that? There isn't really such a thing – the flying ants emerge over several weeks, usually around the end of July, with a peak period lasting a few days. But it can certainly feel like flying ant day when the insects in your area are swarming. Why do they do it? For mating with other colonies. The mating happens in mid‑air, which is why it's also called the nuptial flight. So it's like a mile-high club for ants? Not exactly. The Natural History Museum senior curator Suzanne Ryder describes ant mating as 'quick and violent, with the male dying shortly afterwards'. What about the queens? Once they've been fertilised, they chew off their own wings and start laying eggs. Great. So what day can I expect to be surrounded by thousands of flying, fornicating, dying ants this year? Predictions for this year's peak period are 22 to 25 July – or earlier in urban areas – and it looks set to be the worst one yet. Why? The climate crisis. Alternating warm and wet conditions could trigger the appearance of 'tens of millions of them taking to the skies in massive swarms', according to Paul Blackhurst, the head of Rentokil's Technical Academy. Is that enough to blot out the sun? Probably not. But they can be a temporary nuisance; occasionally, as in 2018, they arrive early enough to disrupt Wimbledon. What should I do? Best to keep your doors, windows and mouth shut during the peak. You mean just put up with it? Yes – black garden ants are an important food source for birds and a friend to the butterfly, while their tunnelling is vital for improving soil quality. Have they considered spreading their mating period over a more leisurely timescale? The swarming is supposed to improve their chances of survival by overwhelming predators. And overwhelming picnics in the process. They're not doing it to inconvenience you. Do say: 'Flying ant fortnight seems to come earlier every year.' Don't say: 'It looks set to be another hot ant summer.'
