Has ‘Flying Ant Day’ arrived in Deeside?

Breaking news from Deeside this evening as reports seem to suggest flying ant day has arrived. the rise in temperatures has seen swarms of flying ants emerge from their underground bunkers.

The rise in temperature has seen swarms of flying ants emerge from their underground bunkers in the area.

Paul Morris (@moggsy100) sent us a video via Twitter shot at 6pm this evening of a flying ant swarm in Connah’s Quay.

Reports of flying ants have also come in from Higher Shotton and Queensferry.

@DeesideDotCom The annual mass 1st flight of this years flying ants commenced at 18.00….. pic.twitter.com/kpMpzvjLfh

— Paul Morris (@moggsy100) August 15, 2016

Flying ant day has become something of an internet sensation largely due to Twitter and Facebook and of course if it’s a sensation on social media, then the national media will not be too far behind.

According to Wikipedia:

A mature ant colony seasonally produces winged virgin queens and males.

Unfertilized eggs develop into males.

Fertilized eggs usually develop into wingless, sterile workers, but may develop into virgin queens if the larvae receive special attention.

Within a few days after they have emerged from the pupa case, males are “quickly converted into single-purpose sexual missiles.”

Young queens and males stay in their parent colony until conditions are right for the nuptial flight.

The flight requires clear weather since rain is disruptive for flying insects.

Different colonies of the same species often use environmental cues to synchronize the release of males and queens so that they can mate with individuals from other nests, thus avoiding inbreeding.

The actual “take off” from the parent colony is also often synchronized to overwhelm their predators.

Wikipedia.org/Nuptial_flight

Flying ant swarms on Snowdonia today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C3CHyTHWWI&feature=youtu.be&a=

Local flying ant reports.

@DeesideDotCom handful spotted in Mancot ?

— mark atkins (@markmiwurd) 15 August 2016

@Julietheewok @DeesideDotCom Loads of nests in the lawn but the bicarb & vinegar worked and we got rid of most of them. Hope so anyway! ?

— Janet Wilcock (@JanetW1958) August 15, 2016

@DeesideDotCom loads in the park opposite the Halfway in Connah's Quay earlier on.

— Julie Price (@Julietheewok) August 15, 2016