1.20pm - Flying ants swarm in Gloucestershire

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008
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This is Gloucestershire

FLYING ants have descended on Gloucestershire.

Swarms of the winged ants have been reported in Cheltenham

today.

The ants emerge for short periods of time every year during

late summer.

The sexually mature males and large females emerge from the

nest to mate which is done “on the wing.”

After mating the male mates usually die quickly and only a

small proportion of the mated females will survive to found new

colonies.

Normally only one female will found each colony, but

sometimes new colonies are formed in close proximity.

If they do join up then one of the females will assume

dominance and kill the others.

Have you been hit by the swarming ants? Use the story

comment facility below to let us know.

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56 Comments

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Beegee, Gloucester

    Thursday, July 24 2008, 11:40AM

    “Well said Sarah of Gloucester.

    Perhaps Not on the social of Dursley should concern himself/herself with their own community instead of interfering with Gloucester's!

    I'm sure that improvements could be made there and the area would be better served by you minding your own business!”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Anthony Eater, A restaurant near you...

    Thursday, July 24 2008, 8:28AM

    “The good thing about all these ants? They taste delicious, stir-fried with a little garlic.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Worried by killer ants, High above the planet...looking down

    Thursday, July 24 2008, 8:25AM

    “I hear that these swarms of ants...can strip the flesh off your bones in less than 10 seconds. People, stay in...close all your windows....killer ants are here....”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Sarah, Gloucester

    Thursday, July 24 2008, 7:58AM

    “I wondered what the seagulls were doing yesterday, flying in circles for hours. It was probably a swarm of ants they were eating.
    To not-on-social, if you're going to have a holier than though attitude, it might help if you were educated enough to first realise that this is a story about flying ants and secondly get yourself out of the place that is the ****-hole of Stroud.”

  • Profile image for This is Gloucestershire

    by Norman Miles, Chengdu,China

    Thursday, July 24 2008, 4:16AM

    “Do not make the same mistake as me,I killed one of the flying ants here,but WOW !thousands and thousands came to the funeral.N.S.Miles”

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