Experts have issued a warning that Britain is preparing for a substantial increase in flying ants, fuelled by the ideal mix of sporadic wet and warm conditions currently sweeping the country. Referred to as Flying Ant Day, the annual mating flight when millions of winged ants take to the skies in coordinated swarms could be among the biggest in recent years. Despite its name, the phenomenon usually takes place over several days and has been known to extend across a number of weeks. According to
specialists at Best Ants UK, this year’s event will ‘likely come earlier and be more intense than before’ owing to warmer weather. The Natural History Museum states that flying ants are formally referred to as alates. Throughout the UK, especially in built-up areas, the winged insects spotted are almost exclusively the sexually mature queens and males of the black garden ant, Lasius niger, reports the Express. The larger specimens are the queens, which can grow up to 15 millimetres in length. Natural History Museum experts
also highlight that ants tend to take flight sooner in urban areas compared to rural locations, most probably due to the higher temperatures generated by cities, a phenomenon commonly known as the urban heat island effect. A blog post on Best Ants UK adds that swarms tend to emerge first in southern areas such as Cornwall and Kent before moving north across Britain.
Flying Ant Day, 2026, black garden ant, Lasius niger, alates, urban heat island effect, Cornwall, Kent
Flying ant day in 2026 already?? I’m so not ready.
So they’re basically saying warmer weather = more flying ants. Cool cool, love that for my kitchen. Do they land on you or is it just like… airborne and then gone?
Wait, I thought flying ants were termites or whatever. Like aren’t they the same thing? Also “alates” sounds like some made up science word. If it’s coming earlier and more intense, that’s gonna mess up my lawn in Kent right?
Urban heat island effect is why we get them earlier, huh. I swear every time it’s humid and warm they start showing up like crazy, but I didn’t realize it was the queens too. Millions of winged ants coordinated swarms… over several days… or weeks?? That’s a nightmare timeline. Also Cornwall and Kent first moving north… so does that mean I’m doomed in the Midwest or is this UK only? (It says Britain but people talk like it spreads.)