Flying Ants

[Guinnessman1974]

Lots of them today! Are the 'flying ' ants the potential new queen ants, is that how this all works? i.e. he ones that survive create new ant colonies next spring?

[Jason Green]

Morning GM,

Yes... you'll also see smaller winged individuals - the males. They will wait until weather conditions seem like pre-thunder and this serves to 'awaken' different colonies at the same time which enhances mating opportunities. The two of them will mate and she'll lose her wings (he may help her off with them too!). She'll go on, and he'll die probably soon after.

I saw a few wing-lost Queens on the pavement today.

Take care,

Jason

[2dogs2000]

I had noticed quite a few winged ants yesterday but what really caught my attention were the birds swarming round. It looked like the Alfred Hitchcok film "The Birds". It was my neighbour that put the two together.

[JackintheGreen]

Yes, the gulls were wheeling like vultures. It's often the first indication that the ants are swarming for me.

[gpjayne]

At last my ants finally flew today at approx 5pm in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. They emerged from everywhere some with males attached. Had to move the bbq to avoid cooking them before they had the chance to fly away!