When is flying ant day?

Flying ants, are the reproductive males and young queens of the common Black Garden Ant.  They are not a different species of ant. The winged ants are not dangerous and are not considered a risk to public health.

The flying ants will only be seen for a few days in July or August, the actual day will vary depending on where you live.   They will be bigger than the worker ant you will have seen in your garden.

The reason for this ‘nuptial flight’ is to enable the young queens to find a mate from a different colony and then set up her own colony.  An ant colony can send out millions of young Queens, which can be quite an alarming sight on flying ant day.  The reason there are so many is simply to increase the chance of a successful mating.  Most of the queens will not succeed in founding a new colony.  Many will provide a tasty treat for the birds, who you may also see swarming on flying ant day to catch the prey.

The flying male ant and the flying female ant will mate in the air.  The young queen will then try to start a new nest.  You may see these larger ants walking around on the ground, this is because they lose their wings after the ‘flying ant day’ and it’s likely they are looking for somewhere to set up their nest for the winter.  The male ants are only produced to mate with new queens and will only live for a day or two after their flight.

In spring the queen will begin to lay eggs and start up a new colony.

Read more about ants here.

Flying ants in your home

Flying ants may find their way into your home through open doors, windows and cracks in walls. So, remember to close them during flying ant day.

Usually, they won’t be a threat to you, but there are other ant species that will damage your property.

Carpenter ants will cause damage to wooden structures, as they seek out pieces of timber to build their nest.

How can Protex Pest Control help me to get rid of flying ants?

If you are worried about flying ants, rest assured it will not last for long.  However, if you experience an ant invasion in your home or place of work, contact us for advice.

Protex Pest Control will safely remove ants from your property.  We follow the stringent standards laid down by the British Pest Control Association (BPCA).  Our technicians will also provide advice on measures you can take to prevent future infestations.

For more information and a quotation from a Protex Pest Control expert:

• Call us on 020 8361 7467
• Email info@protexpest.co.uk or
• Complete our online contact form