EXPERTS warn that swarms of flying ants take to the air in the summer during ‘flying ant season’.
According to experts from the British Pest Control Association (BPCA), swarms of ants typically appear in July or August across the South East.
The ants take to the air only briefly in order to mate, with the males dying shortly after while the females chew off their own wings and find a nest site for the winter.
Niall Gallagher, Technical Manager at BPCA, explained: “Mating takes place in the air during the nuptial flight, but the ants will disappear within a few hours and are best left alone.”
This tends to happen for only a few days, and generally the phenomenon “isn’t necessarily a cause for concern”.
However, residents should stay watchful, and “keep a close eye” on any ant swarms close to home.
Niall continued: “They are highly organised social insects that are attracted to sweet foodstuffs and may invade buildings in search of food.”
While the most common ant in the UK is the black garden ant (Lasius niger), “in large centrally heated buildings such as apartment blocks, tropical species such as Pharaoh’s ants and Ghost ants can become a problem.”
Niall stressed that these cases “should always be dealt with by a BPCA member” as these ants are “much more difficult to control”.
The BPCA is a not-for-profit organisation that represents the interests of the UK’s pest management industry. BCPA members are regularly assessed to the British Standard in Pest Management and endorsed by the government.
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