It’s that time of year again. You may have unexpected hair accessories or see insect wings covering the floor. What are they? Flying ants, natuurlijk!
So, why are swarms of flying ants popping up in the Netherlands? It’s breeding season, also called a ‘nuptial flight’. What you see are a bunch of young ant queens and males getting frisky. 😉
Summertime is flying ant time
Clearly, we’re not the only ones who enjoy summer weather, because the flying ants come out when the weather gets warm and humid, reports AD.nl.
In the Netherlands you know it’s summer when you get covered in flying ants because of the weather.
— WoppieT🧬🧬 (@Dr_WoppieT) July 7, 2023
Thunderstorms 🌩️ incoming 😬 pic.twitter.com/QORAUVjyMb
“The new queens need enough food to grow. In the winter, food production virtually comes to a standstill, but it picks up again in the spring,” André van Loon, who is affiliated with EIS Knowledge Center for Insects, tells AD.
“As a result, their wings grow in the spring and they make the nuptial flight not long afterwards in the summer months.”
Flying ant nuptials
While they have their nuptial flight, the queens meet males and receive enough semen to fertilise eggs for the rest of their lives. Yep, it’s basically their wedding day — but it’s not as monogamous or as long-lasting as you would think.
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The fertile queens mate with multiple males. No, the males aren’t quite as lucky as you think, as the males die after their short flight of love.
How do these fertilised queens react to the death of their many husbands? They chew off their own wings. Harsh! 😳 Each queen then searches for a new home to start their colony on the ground.
So, they really are more occupied with each other than with you. They won’t hurt you, but you may not want to get between them and their baby-making. 😅
Have you been caught in a swarm of flying ants? Tell us about it in the comments!