Happy Flying Ant Day!
Flying Ant Day is a term used to refer to the short period of time when ants emerge from their nests and search for mates, usually in July or August when the weather is hot and humid.The number of ants flying on certain days can be large enough to be detected by weather service radar systems, resembling rain showers. While there is no precise date for Flying Ant Day 2023, it usually falls in July or August on a hot, humid day, often after heavy rain fall. The number of ants flying on certain days can be large enough to be detected by weather service radar systems, resembling rain showers. Female winged ants can live up to 15 years, but males usually die just days after mating – the sole reason they are bred.
I can’t link a source for that. The Brave browser’s search function has gone AI and that paragraph is frankensteined together from several sources. They do tell you what bits go with what sources, but I’m far too lazy for that.
By common belief, Flying Ant Day varies from year to year but is the same day all over Britain, which would be weirdly cool. Sadly, it ain’t so. There are localized swarms in similar weather.
Still, it’s a giant formicalur Sadie Hawkins Day.
We were sitting in the garden with our next along neighbor, and suddenly the air was full of ants. The low brick wall around the patio was covered in hundreds of them. I ran inside to get my phone and by the time I came out again, there were only a few. It’s that quick.
That’s probably why I’ve only posted about it once before, in 2011.
p.s. one of the bastards flew into my right eye. I still feel like there are bits in there. Sorry to have screwed up your one and only sex, little dude.
Posted: August 3rd, 2023 under animals.
Comments: 6
Comments
Comment from Uncle Al
Time: August 3, 2023, 11:27 pm
Izzat Antificial Intelligence or Artificial Antelligence?
I don’t know how well ants can see their surroundings. Maybe the little guy got so excited he mistook your eyelashes for his intended paramour?
Comment from Gordon R. Durand
Time: August 4, 2023, 1:50 am
I always thought flying ants were termites. Aren’t they, more or less?
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 4, 2023, 4:45 pm
It is in the States. I flipped the first year I saw the ants here, thinking they were termites. Though Wikipedia says there are termites on every continent but Antarctica, most species aren’t destructive to buildings. I’ve never heard of a termite infestation here.
The phenomenon of flying ant day is called a nuptial flight. Wikipedia says: “Nuptial flight is an important phase in the reproduction of most ant, termite, and some bee species.”
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 4, 2023, 4:45 pm
It is in the States. I flipped the first year I saw the ants here, thinking they were termites. Though Wikipedia says there are termites on every continent but Antarctica, most species aren’t destructive to buildings. I’ve never heard of a termite infestation here.
The phenomenon of flying ant day is called a nuptial flight. Wikipedia says: “Nuptial flight is an important phase in the reproduction of most ant, termite, and some bee species.”
Comment from S. Weasel
Time: August 4, 2023, 4:46 pm
Huh. How on earth did I double post? WordPress has built-in prevention for that.
Comment from durnedyankee
Time: August 5, 2023, 6:59 pm
Trolling…but Termites swarm too, and build flyers.
We found that out the hard way when they swarmed in the living room of the house we owned in Masswatwoshits. Fortunately we caught it early, but it surprised the crap out of us, I’d never heard of termites there, carpenter ants, yes, but not termites.
If you played at all with bugs, you can tell the difference between termites and ants very quickly. Ants have that nice distinct 3 part body, termites have a long unsegmented body rather than the clear back 2 segments of ants.
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