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| Flying ant day: Why are winged insects swarming in the summer heat? | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| As the summer weather ushers in balmy evenings, flying ants are taking to the skies. | As the summer weather ushers in balmy evenings, flying ants are taking to the skies. |
| Residents of London are tweeting that the winged insects are swarming in the capital. | Residents of London are tweeting that the winged insects are swarming in the capital. |
| Flying ant watching! Did you see any today? pic.twitter.com/fera0pC6Vy | Flying ant watching! Did you see any today? pic.twitter.com/fera0pC6Vy |
| ewwwwww flying ant day on Elgin avenue pic.twitter.com/5vKZkrIX0s | ewwwwww flying ant day on Elgin avenue pic.twitter.com/5vKZkrIX0s |
| In #Putney with @IonicSoundwave being attacked by flying ants EVERYWHERE. | In #Putney with @IonicSoundwave being attacked by flying ants EVERYWHERE. |
| Why in the name of god has a plague of flying ants descended on Wandsworth town!?!????? #wandsworth #ants @wandbc | Why in the name of god has a plague of flying ants descended on Wandsworth town!?!????? #wandsworth #ants @wandbc |
| What's with the sudden swarm of flying ants in London!? #antsinyourpants | What's with the sudden swarm of flying ants in London!? #antsinyourpants |
| I imagine flying ants conspiring underground for a world takeover and when they charge out realising they've misjudged their enemy. | I imagine flying ants conspiring underground for a world takeover and when they charge out realising they've misjudged their enemy. |
| Flying ants were definitely made by satan | Flying ants were definitely made by satan |
| But what prompts the creatures to take over streets, as if at random? | But what prompts the creatures to take over streets, as if at random? |
| What causes ‘flying ant day?’ | What causes ‘flying ant day?’ |
| The winged insects are known as alates, and are the sexually mature queens and males of the common black ants. | The winged insects are known as alates, and are the sexually mature queens and males of the common black ants. |
| Each year, the alates leave the respective nests in swarms and look for mates. They will have prepared for this occasion for weeks. | Each year, the alates leave the respective nests in swarms and look for mates. They will have prepared for this occasion for weeks. |
| To mate, male and female insects join together in the sky, in a phenomenon known as the nuptial flight. | To mate, male and female insects join together in the sky, in a phenomenon known as the nuptial flight. |
| Ants mate in the summertime because warm, long, humid days create the perfect conditions in which to fly and dig new nests. | Ants mate in the summertime because warm, long, humid days create the perfect conditions in which to fly and dig new nests. |
| However, scientists are still unsure how ant colonies manage to synchronise their flights. | However, scientists are still unsure how ant colonies manage to synchronise their flights. |
| Why do the ants swarm together? | Why do the ants swarm together? |
| The winged creatures leave their nests in swarms because it protects them from predators, but it also means they’re more likely to find a mate. | The winged creatures leave their nests in swarms because it protects them from predators, but it also means they’re more likely to find a mate. |
| After they’ve mated, the males die but the queens shed their wings and attempt to find a place to build a new colony. These queens can live for a staggering 15 years, and remain fertile after they have mated. | After they’ve mated, the males die but the queens shed their wings and attempt to find a place to build a new colony. These queens can live for a staggering 15 years, and remain fertile after they have mated. |
| How do such a large number of ants affect the ecosystem? | How do such a large number of ants affect the ecosystem? |
| By burrowing to create a new nest, ants improve the quality of soil, and help to pollinate flowers. Unluckily for the insects, flying ant day also provides a feast for birds including swifts and gulls. | By burrowing to create a new nest, ants improve the quality of soil, and help to pollinate flowers. Unluckily for the insects, flying ant day also provides a feast for birds including swifts and gulls. |
| Does it only happen once a year? | Does it only happen once a year? |
| A recent study by the Society of Biology showed that flying ant days don’t occur in a 24-hour period, but can stretch over a month. | A recent study by the Society of Biology showed that flying ant days don’t occur in a 24-hour period, but can stretch over a month. |