Warning over flying ants invading UK towns as shocking photos show swarms around homes

Brits have been warned after shocking footage revealed flying ants swarming around homes – here’s the £1 trick to get rid of them.

People across the UK have reported swarms of flying ants invading their homes and gardens this week.

The event, dubbed “Flying Ant Day,” sees millions of the insects take to the skies at once.

A gardening expert has revealed a £1 hack that will stop those annoying flying insects from bothering you this summer.

Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress, said there was no specific date for Flying Ant Day, but they often went out to find new homes, with many colonies doing so on the same day.

Spices such as cayenne pepper and cinnamon pepper can deter ants if sprinkled around your plants.

Mint and garlic also work well because “they hate the smell.”

Sainsbury’s is currently offering a 42g pot of cayenne pepper for just £1.10, which works out at 26p for 10g.

The expert added that a spray bottle filled with water and white vinegar can also drive away these pests.

If that’s not enough, he suggests using just white vinegar, the same can also be done with dishwashing liquid and water.

These flying ants can cause a lot of damage to homes, so it is essential to ensure that they do not sneak into them.

Carpenter ants are known to bury their nests inside wood, causing damage to wooden structures.

Any cracks in walls or roofs are the perfect way for these insects to gain access to your home.

Pest control company Rentokil recommends sealing any cracks or crevices and using mosquito netting so you can keep windows open without inviting in these flying pests.

A window mosquito net can be purchased for just £1 from Dunelm.

There will be more to come

Adam HartEntomologist at the University of Gloucester

Hundreds of Britons have taken to social media to share their experiences of battling the swarm.

Some users joked that the natural event “should be a holiday” and others claimed the seagulls were taking advantage of “flying ant season.”

On X, formerly Twitter, Christina Martin said: “The seagulls are getting drunk on flying ants and are going so crazy that people are complaining to us at the council all day long.

“As if you could reason with them.”

“Flying Ant Day should be a holiday,” added Toby Earl.

Briar Farm posted: “Flying ants are starting to do their thing.”

And Graham Barnfield joked: ‘Oh no.

“It’s already the day of the flying ants.

“Well, I hate how it’s become so commercial lately.

“Honestly, they’ve had nymphs in stores since March, etc., etc.”

Adam Hart, an entomologist at the University of Gloucester, revealed that ants acquire their wings over time – so there will be more to come.

He added: “Our study showed that any time between mid-July and late August could be a flying ant day.

“Sometimes you can have ants flying around your garden for weeks at a time.”

Unlike the worker ants you see on the sidewalk, the primary role of flying ants is to reproduce.

They consist of males and future queens, who will mate with each other in flight.

Then the queens will find a spot and dig into the ground where they hope to start a new ant colony.

The discovery comes after Japanese honeybees were captured using a new technique called “wing-slapping” to protect their hives from intruding ants.

And a pest control expert has revealed the best way to combat the flies and mosquitoes invading your home this summer.