Why Flying Ants Day Happens?

When Is Flying Ants Day?

Flying ant day occurs when there is a period of warm weather, a summer downpour, and when it stops, winged creatures suddenly emerge from the ground.

However, a recent study shows that the swarm of flying ants doesn’t happen in one day. Winged ants emerge over several weeks, though there are typically several large peaks. This had already occurred in 2016, with several synchronised events in early August.

Swarming can be triggered by temperature and usually happens following a summer rain. We see multiple swarms at the same time each year because specific conditions must be present for the winged ants to know that it is time to fly out of their home.

These conditions include bright sunlight, weak winds, high humidity, and warm temperatures, after three to five days of rain, if possible. These conditions usually exist in late spring or early summer. This is the period when ants with wings are seen.

Are Flying Ants Dangerous?

Though seeing a swarm of flying pests can be intimidating, remember that they only have one thing in mind – mating. Flying ants don’t pose any greater danger than the average crawling ants.

It’s not likely for flying ants to bite or sting you while they are in the air. Just don’t run straight into a mating swarm and you should be fine. However, take care when they are crawling, just as you would an ordinary ant.

A swarm is massive to ensure breeding between male and female flying ants is successful, and accordingly the establishment of a new colony. A huge number of ants in a swarm will die within a day because of birds that prey on them for food.

Flying Ants Infestation

Shortly after mating, the males die after fulfilling their function. The fertilised female flies around looking for a suitable site to build a new colony. Each species of flying ants chooses a different nest – some pick decaying wood and others choose the cracks on the sidewalk.

This means that flying ants may invade your personal space while searching for a new nest location. If you see a swarm of winged ants inside your home, this probably means there is a colony in your wall voids, or somewhere around your property.

How to Get Rid of Flying Ants

After determining that you are indeed dealing with flying ants, there are some effective ways to get rid of flying ants by yourself.

• Use a suitable commercial pest spray on the swarm of flying ants that you see, or you can make your mixture of one part liquid soap and two parts water and add in a few drops of peppermint oil for enhancement.
• Suck up the flying ants using a handheld or full-sized vacuum cleaner. Don’t forget to replace the bag right away.
• There are various baits and traps you can use, including sticky tape traps, insecticidal dust, baits, and surface sprays for eliminating flying ants. Baits are the most effective because when consumed by ants, they can infect and kill the entire colony. Whatever method you use, always follow the instructions.

If you’re unable to get rid of flying pets with DIY solutions, contact professional pest specialists to do the job.