Flying ants appear like clockwork in Britain every summer. There is usually one or two days a year when large clouds of the insects are spotted around the UK. This phenomenon has been dubbed “flying ant day” – here’s when flying ants come out in Britain.

Flying ants are an inevitable part of British summertime.

It is a sure sign summer is here when the winged creatures are spotted en-masse about the nation.

While the flying pests are harmless they can be a nuisance especially when they swarm.

But flying ants only come out when the conditions are perfect, research has revealed.

When do flying ants come out in the UK?

The flying ant swarms most Britons notice once a year are triggered by weather.

“Flying Ant Day” usually happens in July or August when it is warm, not windy and the weather has markedly improved from the preceding day, research suggests.

Anecdotal evidence suggests flying ant swarms often occur after summer rain.

Why do flying ants swarm?

Millions of ants come out all over the country when the conditions are right for the queen ants to find new homes.

On Flying Ant Days, the queen ants leave their homes along with their many male subjects.

The queens mate with their male subjects to form a new colony.

David Cross, Head of the Technical Training Academy, Rentokil Pest Control explained the phenomenon to Express.co.uk.

He said: “While the warm weather is a welcome change to the recent spate of showers across the country, the rising temperatures of late June to early July can also cause an unwelcome increase in swarms of flying ants – giving rise to what’s now commonly known as Flying Ant Day.

“When the temperature goes past a certain point, large females and smaller males that have developed in neighbouring nests of black garden ants take to the air in huge numbers and initiate mating flights.

“After mating the females will start a new colony, while the males will die.”

How to get rid of them?

While flying ants are not dangerous they can be a pain if they get into your home.

You can use insecticidal powder on your door and window frames to stop the bugs from entering.

Another pest control tip is to pour boiling water on any ant hills you spot in your garden or near your home.

The boiling water will kill most of the ants and stop other ones from returning.

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