10 facts about
flying ants!
Find out why ants take to the skies!
Have you been caught up in a swarm of flying ants this summer? And is there really a special ‘flying ant day’? Read on to discover more…
1. Flying ants are just normal ants – with wings!
The ants we’re most used to seeing are female black garden ants, marching around collecting food. But during summer, winged males and new queens of the same species take flight!
2. They fly to set up new ant colonies
The ants take to the skies so that queens can mate with males from different colonies, and set up new nests of their own.
3. Flying ants only swarm during hot summer weather
For a swarm of ants to occur, conditions must be just right – they’re usually triggered by hot and humid weather in July or August.
4. ‘Flying ant day’ is a myth
Because so many ants appear in the same place at the same time, the phenomenon is often known as ‘flying ant day’ – but it’s really more of a short flying ant season. Depending on weather, the winged insects may appear in different parts of the country any time between June and September.
5. There’s safety in numbers
The reason the ants appear in such big numbers is that it helps protects them from predators. Flying all together all at once also gives them a much better chance of finding mates.
6. They’re harmless
These flying beasties might be super annoying, but they won’t hurt you. Plus they provide loads of extra food for hungry birds!
7. Tennis stars hate them!
In 2018, flying ants invaded the court at Wimbledon, distracting tennis players and making news headlines around the world!
8. Female flying ants are bigger than males
Brave enough to take a closer look? You’ll see that some of the winged ants are much larger than others. The bigger ones are the queens – they’re up to 15mm in length.
9. Queens bite their own wings off!
After mating, queens chew off their wings and crawl around looking for a place to dig a new nest. Look out for their discarded wings on the floor!
10. Flying ants are also called alates
Alates is the name given to the winged form of many insects.
Fascinated by insects? Download our FREE insect safari primary resource and go on a bug adventure in your own garden!
Want to know more?
Ants are one of the world’s strongest creatures! Head to our amazing ant facts for the lowdown!
Plus, check out our cool bug facts, and discover why ladybirds ooze yellow goo from their legs!
Picture credit: GettyImages-464197765
Have you seen any flying ants this summer? Leave a comment below!
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I loved all of your facts!
Wow i want to learn more about it
Saw a few today in the Western Cape, South Africa. Very hot today in Cape Town.
We saw a few winged ants today in Albuquerque. 8/24/2021
Thousands climbing up my window
Yesterday 23 Aug. The whole of my grass was shimmering with ant wings they slowly took off and headed West
The ants (Flying)are out now from under the patio. hundreds of them.
the winged ants seem to climb to the top of the grass to get height to take off and sometimes have to try and try again before suceeding Getting their wings takes some energy I suspect.
hi
Jane Whiteley I live in Shipley and have today found a small swarm of flying ants on my lawn and steps.
flying ants are all over my house!!!
cant wait
Flying ants inside my closed in porch not very nice!
Porch full of flying ants.... They won't go
Wow I didn't know that the queen bit her wings off
Hi I like
I found one yesterday and looked it up on the internet. There was a lot of information online. I also didn't know that winged ants are just males (the ones we see crawling are females) that are searching for a mate or a place to put a new colony! Like other kids said: Cool!! ; )
They have invaded one high corner of my screened porch.
wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow!
Yes I’ve just seen them in my garden hovering over their nests in a group. It’s not June yet the time when we normally start seeing them. It’s now the end of March 2021. This’s the first time I’ve seen flying ants here in California.
hi
I BELIEVE I CAN FLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY,FLYY IN THE SKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Do they crawl out of the sink drain? These aren’t flying.
wooow
cool
cool
cool
Cool
I've seen a flying ant
Not yet but we have a pool and they just take over and these bite they form piles the one on the bottom are dead and the live ones get on top during the night
Wow awesome
nice lol
Wow!
woww
IVE SEEN A FLYING ANTS OMG JUST SAW ONE OUTSIDE
i just told my sister she is amazed
AMAZING
BRILLIANT
AMAZING
Yay I know they weren’t trying to eat me!
amazing
ok
Cool
This helped, thanks
cool
amasing
COOL
Clouds of them inmaitsi region of tasman out of control currently taking over local golf course regards Mylrz
omg!!!!!!!!
cool
i lite turtules
this is fun
I love it
no i have not sen flying ants
Yes last night in Benoni. A frog had a feast. Good to watch.
i like animals
i know werid for the tennis people angry crazy ants
cool i did not know that its werid the ants invaded the tennis corse and made them angry why woud they do that
I like these facts.
nice
This is a very good website
I was very surprised
Cool
Sunday morning 17 January 2021 at sunrise the walls of my house are black of flying ants. Can't walk outside. Here are usually many ants on the ground during the days.
cool
wow
wow
Wow
Why do Queen ants chew off their wings?
me encantan los animales.
I did not know all that.
I love animals
I saw thousands of flying ants this summer at my farm. When flying ants tear off their wings they do not grow back.
cool
lol
That was fascinating
THAT IS AMAZING
Great
awsome cant what to learn moreeeeee
ive seen a swarm of alates in summer!
They are invading my house and digging up piles of whatever matter from under my floor, everywhere. Not sure what to do. I'm worried about my floor!
Just arrived in central Queensland around 6.30pm after the rain
RIght now, I'm on vacation in South Africa in the sub-tropical area of the Eastern lowlands, surrounded by gorgeous mountains. Last night, kit was hot and humid, with soft rain. Thousands of flying ants were attracted to the security light outside my bedroom window. The window was slightly open and the queen must have flown inside, followed by an army of little aviators. I am legally blind so had no idea what was sharing the bed with me, and flying uinto my hair. I woke up and saw wings all around me. Eventually, I realised they were not suicidal moths, so I took my bedding into the living room and slept on the sofa. The light of day showed literally thousands of wings, plus dead or dying corpses. Fascinated, I did a Google search to find out what flying ants are and what happens to them after swarming. No one here could tell me, so the owners at the lodge were very interested and astounded. Most people think they are a separate species from normal ground ants. Thank you for enlightening us. Unfortunately, all the flying ants in my room didn't make it ...
These flying ants invaded my yard and some landed in large ice cream container I use to plant spinach seedlings. The surface of the soil in the container is full of their holes and I have just planted seeds. Will the ants eat the seeds. Should start all over again.
cool
Let's take action YA
cool cant wait
hi
so cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool.
yay
WONDERFUL
Wow
Last week (November 19, 2020) flying ants were spoted in Malta Europe. Is that common?
Super , Cool , Wow , Can't wait
Loved it! Helped me learn
Thanks to my father who shared with me about this web site, this web site is truly remarkable.
so cool!
wow
so cool
wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow!
love it
AMAZING
that's good facts
WoW
hi
I wish I could now what they eat but it was still amazing.
wow
November 1st Just found seven flying ants in our house, possibly looking for a place to stay.
queen flying ants bite their wings off
COOLLLLLLLLLLLL
Great!
I got attacked by a flying ant
Cool It is awesome
In colcata while w it is puja time they are forming it is iratateing
hello im wolfie
i liked it
col
i never knew ants could fly
layla
Good to know
not really a fan of insects but it is ok !
lol
They're everywhere at Wentworth Falls now
Awesome
I love it.
Amazing
In my bedroom Windows
i love it
cool https://www.natgeokids.com/wp-content/themes/natgeokids/images/badges/2.png
I haven't seen any flying ants this year. Maybe I'll see some next year.
I've seen ants with wings once before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have had them come into my kitchen they seem to come through a wall ventilator, I have to spray them if I am wearing white they com on.me,does light attract them?
I never knew that!
Sorry, I will have to dispute fact #6. I have been bitten a few times by flying ants.
hehe hi guys i liked this one so fa because it was different than the others c:
hi
hello
omg soo intresting i never new the existed before i saw this its so heplful for my work
cool,LoL, wow, can't wait ,let's take action, I'm telling us knowledge all to my friends,
What do their young look like
good
In Australia September 14 northern rivers near caberita beach swarmed my car then me . They feel and look like fleas . Hope never go see them or feel them again. 2020
cool
wow
this is not nice
huge swarms in my backyard now. September 9th 2020
there so annoying i have to hoover thm up they came back and its now september can someone tell me how to get rid of them
We saw flying ants today & they were amazing!
i will share my knowledge
It is too good
Hello, I am a kid and I keep ants. I usually catch the ones on the floor.
Yes !!!! We actually had a swarm on our house and they came inside our bathroom area. Still trying to rid our bathroom of them !!! It’s really hard !!!
I saw them in my garden 9/2/2020
wow
great stuff
Cool
cool
I'm in northwest Houston, TX and we usually see flying ants during the summer after a heavy rain.
Yesterday
hello
LOL!I didn't know that they annoyed Tennis stars! Or that queens chew their wings off!
Awesome
Cool
Amazing
Cool
this taught me a lot, I am totally going to tell my friends!
Wow that was pretty cool!
me and my dad were just on our trampoline and there were swarms of flying ants every were and when we got off we saw two swarms making nests and we saw some flying ants raiding a normal ant hill
can u guys put hamsters facts i love em
Flying ants at 6.10 pm timmins Ontario coming out of the Ground
I didnt kno wthat
This year I saw a lot of ants some flying ants and some normal ants
Wow, I didn't know that. I agree with Supersparrow67.
I'm telling this knowledge to all my friends
Cool
COOL
I've seen a swarm of flying ants in town recently!
We discovered thousands around our patio
I live in the Sperrin mountains in Northern Ireland and we have millions of these ants at the moment
So exited!
flying ants!
that is so awesome
cool!!!!!
Just found numerous flying ants in the kitchen. Vacuumed up the ants and used ant spray on the floor and around the kitchen window.
I had an infestation of flying ants in my bathroom which lasted for a month.Kept them under control by spraying them and placing ant stations at various points. After a few weeks they were gone, when they were present it was awful!
cool
Nice
Swarm yesterday in Waterville Co kerry Ireland
Coool
I have never done this before but I like it
Just spotted a whole swarm of flying ants near my pond some are taking off & some have fallen into my pond where they struggle until they get eaten by the fish.
Some of these things look disgusting
Walked into my house on a hot humid and they were like 20 of them in my big window. I have no idea how they got in.
Cool
Wow! It's really amazing article....
wow
Wow
It's WOW
IT'S COOL
Do they distroy my lovely summer plants
"Flying Ant day" today
Not seen any yet but they must be due...hot and humid today 28 this evening 07.08.20
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa these things are creepy
Really interesting
Cool, love da amazon’ facts!!!
We have seen lots of flying ants in Scarborough
I love your facts national geographic!
I have just seen what seems like black flying ants mating with red flying ants!? Telford, England
All this is great
I saw lots coming from my patio on Thursday, I saw a Queen ant too
In Sandnes Norway 31.7.20
Wow
was watching Flying ants emerge today (31/07/20) it was fascinating watching them take their first flight
Yes just discovered one on my leg! Think it landed on me outside as it's a really hot day. I just put it onto something and put it outside.
We had a a swarm of flying ants 30th July 2020 (yesterday) we live in Walsall, West Midlands
Our 400 sqr metre lawn is infested with ants They all decided to swarm yesterday. The lawn was glistening and looked like silver looked lovely but the lawn had been messed up by the ants / any suggestions
Twice this week we have had an emergence of flying ant from a number of places in our garden. This has happened for the past three years, each time the ants appear from the same place.
Yeah I’ve seen a few
cool
Cool
I have a nest of garden ants in my back garden and one in my front garden and today 30/7/2020 at about 1pm both nests have flying ants My back garden is large and the whole grass is alive with the flying ants
Yes saw flying ants today! Very annoying.
It's a wonderful time of year, new life taking flight. I absolutely love it and I help as many as I can to get airborne.
Some the large black ant had no wings l noticed! They have swarmed twice this year covering my court yard & l'm intrigued each time .
We have got them in our Conservatory first time in 21 years normal ants and flying ants real pain.
my ants are flying today Droitwich Worcestershire 30.7.2020
We had been infested with them this Summer all around our patio door They started inside without wings but blocked out they changed to flying ants outside
Saw black ants and flying ants that seemed unsteady on the ground, none flying. Seen in Steventon Oxon, today.
Thousands of flying ants this evening at RG29 1HX.
yes we are sat in the garden at the moment on Hayling Islanf and there appear to be 2 colonies setting up for flight. One next to our fish pond and they keep falling in - our fish are eating them and znother colony emerging from the lawn.
There are absolutely loads of flying ants out today when we was at the park. Eventually we had to leave because they became extremely annoying and the kids hated them.
Literally hundreds of flying ants emerged from under the base of my greenhouse on a beautiful summer's day.All were gone within two hours
We watched little tornadoes of flying ants fill the skies, it was amazing
Yes today the garden is twinkling with moving ant wings
lots in South West London yesterday
I saw them today
Just so annoying Seen so many for the first time this year In north west london
We have just witnessed the flight of about 10 different groups of ants taking to the skies in the last half hour!
Yes we have them in the garden now in Kent 29/7/202
Nice
great to no
So interesting
Good one gill
that's weird!!!
July 24th evening, ate started flay from garden, and when walking down the road ,more ages were seen coming out, and fly off.
Were were sat in the garden yesterday, snd out of the blue noticed flying ants in 3 areas of our garden just taking off, we were Amazed with The actual volume of ants collected together and just watching them fly off. One minute there was nothing the next well, and the whole thing only lasted a couple of minutes. Never seen it before even our dog just sat and watched them.
They arrived in Melton Mowbray today, never saw anything like it and had to pick them out of my hair when I got home.
muy interesante son estos hechos me importan mucho
Hi
Yes... now. Loads of them
We’ve had loads of nests this evening. Thousands and thousands flying out of their nests. 24/7/20
Ants 2 late afternoons ago. There are more tonight Lewsey Fm Luton
24th June .so glad I have bug screens up on Windows..
Flying ants in a swarm on my lawn right now in Sleaford, linconshire
Flying ants in Liverpool today 24/7
Flying ants today in our garden in Morecambe, appeared at about 5.15pm!
Saw lots in Widnes Cheshire today
Right now in my garden 23/7/20
Just seen two groups of flying ants in our back garden in Derby.
Lots of flying ants in my back garden here in Chester, came out about 14.00..
wwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwoooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww cool stuff guys! :D
crazy+interesting
yes I literally had one in my kitchen
yeah
wow!
We had a swarm in the kitchen giving birth to a load of baby ants. Forgot to keep the door closed . We had them four years ago. So always kept it closed in middle to end of July.
sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeettttttttt
fantastic
hi
Can't wait :(
I saw lots of them in a big huddle on my dad‘s drive and also in my garden flying around. Leeds 15 West Yorkshire
yes I have had several in my home. No sign of them outdoors.
We have them every year but always appear in exactly the place. Why is this ?
cool
Hundreds of flying ants invade our garden and destroy the cement in our patio every year. Can we get rid of them?
Perfect I love this it will help get rid off these ants
No ants one minute and then thousands of flying ants were all over the garden. Friday 17 th July in Devon. Fascinating to watch.
Cool
I have always seen the ant as a nuisance and stamped on them and more. NOT ANY MORE "FORGIVE ME ANT" Richard
Yes several clouds of them taking off One seemed to be coming out of a nest but were being attacked by ants with no wings. There were bodie of dead ones on their backs
Yes and loads of small winged ones
Yes in Mayland 12 July
wow such facts
this is great!
Loads of flying ants this morning in Eastbourne.
Love the facts
Yes I have
Most helpful thank you
On Sunday 12th of July, me, my sister and my mum were relaxing in the garden when a gigantic swarm of flying ants landed all around us. Until now, I didn’t know what they were.
Yes it was at our compost
wow! But why do tennis stars not like ants
WOW!
I have seen loads
Haven't seen any flying ants yet in North London .
Wow
Hi
Cool
i really like that because i love animals and also one has to take good care of animals
Three separate swarms took off today in the warm weather. There were thousands. Unfortunately the birds seem to have missed them though the swifts may have caught some of the higher up.
Lots of them coming out a window frame
Just witnessed hundreds of winged ants taking flight from our patio. Nottinghamshire. 12.07.2020
I've just witnessed a swarm of flying ants, which is why I wanted to find out more about them
YES only a few hours ago 15.00 hrs they all flew from my friends big plant pot .
Yes they in my garden swarms of them . And they are annoying flying at you !
12 .07 20 Had loads of flying ants in garden today. Just appeared out of the cracks in paving. Absolutely remarkable. Within sn hour they were gone. Miracle of nature
iv seen lots in my garden today , iv also got Giant ants
Swarm of flying ants in New Bold st Helen's merseyside. Seem to be attracted to the artificial grass for some reason
My study was covered with flying ants, how they got there I don't know, many about 15mm long others very tiny. This happened today 12th July 2020
Lots today July 12
It is incredible that ants can produce wings from nowhere to repopulate? We talk about Butterflies and their transformation, but isnt this just astonishing.
Flying ant in Worcester 12/07/2020
Ants are flying in Churt Durrey today Sunday July 12 2020,
Thats very cool. We have flying ant's everywhere. We did not know if they were bad or good thanks for the info!!!!
yes I have seen loads
Today is the 12 th July 2020. It is sunny and it’s the afternoon. We live in Hampshire. We just had an ant swarm
Ants have started flying in my garden today
Crazy!
That's cool
I have ants nests all over my garden. Saw my first queen of the year today. Isale of Thanet.
Yes, a few minutes ago a large swarm emerged From a large pot in my garden
I'm in surrey. Temperature is 21 and they have just finished flying the next 12.20. Strange how all nests know when to come out at the same time! They are 2 days early to last year 2019
Today, 12th July, is the first time I've seen flying ants in 2020 here on the Surrey / Hampshire borders.
Just had a huge swarm in my garden, never seen anything like it!
Just saw a load taking off in my garden in Bristol today 11/7/20, at 17:00
cool
weird stuff!
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