Great swathes of Britain have been covered by masses of flying ants which have emerged today. Each year millions-upon-millions of the insects give their six legs a rest and take to the skies.
Scientifically referred to as nuptial flight, the phenomena revolves around virgin queens mating with males before starting new colonies.
The effect from a human perspective is countless numbers of thick bodied ants whizzing through the skies. While humans may not be overly keen on the winged critters, the natural event is like an early Christmas for seagulls. Do you have a flying ant story to share?
Email webnews@mirror.com The coastal birds take a day off from stealing beach-goers' chips to swallow as many flying ants as possible.
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