The people of Greater Manchester celebrate “Flying Ant Day” when schools of insects are spotted across the region.
Every year, thousands of winged ants bomb the land while they take advantage of the warm weather to leave their nests and mate.
They often appear to be performing in different locations across the UK on the same day, leading to the label “Flying Ant Day”.
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However, the Royal Society of Biology says that there isn’t actually a day when all the ants appear at once, but rather, depending on weather conditions, the ants can appear and fly at almost any time during the summer months.
While a survey by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) found that flying ants can be spotted on up to 96 percent of the days between early June and early September.
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Before swarming, they live in colonies in a nest on the ground.
But every year the alates hatch from their nests and fly in search of mates.
Winged females and the smaller winged males are often seen flying together in what is known in science as the “wedding flight”.
However, they only appear when it is warmer than 13 degrees Celsius and the wind speeds are less than 6.3 meters per second.
And in the warm, dry weather, people across Greater Manchester used social media to say they believed today was indeed a “Flying Ant Day,” with swarms spotted both in the air and on the ground .
Flocks of flying ants have arrived in many cities across the UK as the warm temperatures encourage the insects to hatch
(Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror)
Keith Chadwick said on Twitter, “I left the house for the first time today to do the school run and it’s #FlyingAntDay in South Manchester!”
Zak said “Happy Annual Flying Ant Day Manchester” next to a love heart.
Michael McEvoy said: “Day of the Flying Ants in Manchester or as I call it” the fifth wave “.
While Darren Raven said, “Time to eat us up on #flyingantday in Stockport!”
The weather conditions have to be optimal for you to fly
(Image: Huddersfield examiner)
A Twitter user commented that there were “loads” going on near the Sainsburys on Oxford Road in Manchester city center.
While another said, “I just got attacked by a kindness that really is thousands.”
Earlier this month, the Met Office swarm was big enough to get caught on their radar.
On July 9th, they said, “Our radar does more than just #Rain this morning – it’s actually insects!
“Although there are a few showers, many of the echoes are actually insects.”
The ants were also spotted around Greater Manchester earlier this week.
The insects can be a slight nuisance while relaxing in your yard – but they are harmless and actually contribute a lot to the environment.
Ants aerate the soil they burrow in by recycling nutrients and putting debris back into the soil.
This allows more oxygen and water to reach the plant roots and the soil nutrients are improved.
And experts say that if you come across them, it’s best to leave them alone.
They can be annoying, but you only have to endure them for a few hours before moving on.
Have you seen flying ants there? Let us know in the comments section below
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