1.20pm - Flying ants swarm in 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.
56 Comments
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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!”
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.”
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....”
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.”
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”
by ummmm!!!, Flyin ant land
Thursday, July 24 2008, 3:01AM
“i can only think that there has been no real crimes in glos/chelt if this is all people can leave coments on......... i think that all of you who are terrified of these need to see it from the ants side they are smalller than you and prob look at you and think agghhhh they are really quite odd looking creatures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
by Mike, Chelt
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 10:54PM
“There was bloody loads up Cleeve Hill today, way to many.
None seen any where near me, hopefully they havnt taken over the Lido.”
by Not on the social, Dursley
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 10:36PM
“Hopefully they'll all be attracted to the social housing addresses in gloucester, giving the claiming population something to do other than watch jeremy kyle all day. Go on chase the ants out of your house or flat you lazy lot.”
by Jill, Hatherley, Cheltenham
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 9:46PM
“Spider webs around outside my home caught a few. Thanks to spiders breeding I have no worries about ants.
Be glad its not mosquitoes.
If you were the unlucky ones today driving through Cheltenham. You and your vehicles would have been hit by a swarm of ants during lunch time nearby the traffic lights near the Council Office Building.
I hope no one was cycling through a swarm today, yuk!
I'd rather have ants than a flood any day.”
by tedwoodbear, Cairns, QLD
Wednesday, July 23 2008, 9:17PM
“Just wait ,'till we send our green ants over to the UK - you'll know what biting is then!!!”