Flying ants can cause untold inconvenience in your home and garden, especially if you're planning on enjoying the summer weather outside. 

In recent years, large swarms of flying ants have descended on Cambridgeshire during the summer months, and this year is no different. 

Last year, a swarm of flying ants a mile long was caught on a weather radar on the south coast. 

The winged insects are usually picked up on weather radars at this time of the year during the space of about a week. 

Such is the unpleasantness of this yearly phenomenon there is now a dedicated Flying Ant Day for when the swarms emerge, although this can occur over the course of weeks. 

But why do swarms of flying ants keep appearing in Cambridgeshire and how can we combat the effects of Flying Ant Day? 

What are flying ants? 

According to the Natural History Museum, the winged insects are known as alates. 

In urban areas across the UK, flying ants are almost always "sexually mature queens" and males of the black garden ant, Lasius niger.

The sole purpose of flying ants is to leave the nest to reproduce to start a new colony, which happens in the form of swarms. 

When is Flying Ant Day?

Flying Ant Day refers to the time of the year when ants leave their nests to reproduce. 

They stay in swarms for protection from predators and to increase the chance of mating.

According to the Royal Society of Biology, there is not always one flying ant day – on as many as 96 per cent of days between June and September, flying ants are spotted. 

How to get rid of these winged pests? 

The insects are totally harmless and don't bite but can be a nuisance.

Unfortunately, there is not much we can do to prevent flying ants but  there are a few ways of preventing them from entering your home:

  • Seal any cracks or crevices that they could enter

  • Keep windows and doors shut to keep them out

  • Put up a fly screen for added protection

If you’re still struggling to keep the flying ants at bay and out of your home, you can get in touch with a professional pest control company to help solve the problem.

Have you seen swarms of flying ants where you live? Share pictures and videos with us by emailing oliver.murphy@newsquest.co.uk.