Brits urged to complete important window check now before flying ants swarm UK
It's a natural annual occurrence that fills many with dread as the skies and air swarm with thousands of winged creatures. It's difficult to predict exactly when flying ant day will arrive as it's weather dependent, but we know it's usually around the third week of July, although it can come as early as Wimbledon week. It's most likely to take place when the temperature is above 25 degrees Celsius, with low wind, and a chance of rain in the following days.
Despite popular belief that it only happens one day a year, the phenomenon actually occurs over several weeks. It happens when a new Queen is ready to start a colony and leaves the nest accompanied by thousands of males.
There aren't many things you can do to prevent the critters getting stuck in your hair or fluttering around your face, aside from staying indoors while it takes place. So you need to make sure they can't easily get into your home too. James Ewens, a gardening and wildlife expert from Green Feathers has shared his top tips for keeping your safe sanctuary creepy-crawly-free.
He says it's important to check entry points around your windows, doors and pipework. If there are any cracks, use a sealant to secure them and stop the flying ants from pestering you indoors. When it comes to windows, you could also install fly screens to prevent them entering. This will mean you can still keep an air flow coming in on hot days and won't have to melt while you're stuck inside watching them rise from the ground.
Make sure you clear up any spillages of food and drink in your house, ensuring you sweep up any debris from under units and appliances too. Store food in airtight containers and make sure your bin lid is closed and secure. Uneaten pet food should also be cleared away so as to not attract them. Foraging ants lay down pheromone trails to direct other ants to food, so use a strong cleaning detergent to remove any traces and keep them off the scent.
James doesn't recommend using chemical based ant sprays and says it's always better for the environment to opt for essential oils and natural ingredients instead. "A good repellent for flying ants is to create a homemade spray made from one part dish soap and two parts water, plus one or two drops of peppermint oil, all mixed together in a spray bottle," he says. "Spritz wherever you find ants."
Once you've taken all these precautions, it's worth remembering that they may be annoying and make us recoil and shudder but flying ants are harmless and can't hurt humans. James points out that they are also great for the environment.
"Their increased numbers gives birds in the area a brilliant source of food," he reveals. And they're good for your garden too. "As the females dig into the soil upon landing to try and start a new colony, flying ants aerate the soil, and they also recycle nutrients, and are natural pest controllers," he says.
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