It’s that time of year when the flying ants take to the sky, new queens and males on their nuptial flight.  

 

The Royal Society of Biology (formerly the Society of Biology) have been running a flying ant survey in collaboration with the University of Gloucestershire between 2012 and 2014 and I have provided my records for this survey.  As with 2015, this year, the survey is more informal but society is keen to receive reports, find out more at https://www.rsb.org.uk/get-involved/biologyweek/flying-ant-survey

The main flying ant nuptial flight in and around my garden took place on 18th July.

The main nest on our rockery 

Smaller nest in our front garden

A small nest under the pavement just outside our garden. 

As always many were eaten by birds including gulls that catch them, on the wing and also pick them of the ground. Some become entangled in spider webs before they get far from the ground.

The nuptial flight this year is earlier than last year which took place 31st July and 2nd   August

You can see more on http://urbanwildlifejottings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/black-ant-nuptial-flight.html  and http://urbanwildlifejottings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/more-on-flying-ants-nuptial-flight.html

More on flying ants nuptial flight

Following the black ant nuptial flight on 31st July, we had a major flying ant event today starting at 5.15pm. This time the large ant nest in the back garden had a major nuptial flight, queens and males pouring out of the nest and launching into the air.

Some of the flying ants were caught in a spider web just above the nest, see top right of picture above.

There was also a major nuptial flight from the nest in our front garden, swarming up te fence post before fling from this elevated position.

 This seemed to be the main ant day for my neighbourhood as their were many other ants on the wing and later in the evening we drove down to the beach and encountered many flying ants on the way.

Records were again sent to the survey by the Royal Society of Biology see more at see more at get-involved/biologyweek/flying-ant-survey  and also my blog entry below 31st and 30th July.