Lasius niger nuptial flights 2 videos

[jameslovell]

Hi,

There were some nuptial flights yesterday. I thought I'd video a couple of nests where you can see the new queens flying from.

Video links below





I saw some more flights earlier today for Lasius niger. Also today I saw a new red ant queen without wings walking around so the red ant nuptial flights must of started as well.

All the best

James

[Wood~Ant]

It's funny how young queens do a kind of "waggle dance" like bees do just before they prepare for flight. I think it has to do with them getting orientated as to where the sun is, as they often fly toward it when they lift off

[Honeydewman]

We had a flight of Nigers today in phenominal numbers.
They just kept coming and coming for over an hour. This is the third and biggest Niger flight in as many weeks.

This major Niger flight coincided with a flight from the Myrmica Rubra about 3 miles from my location.
Again number were very large.


Has anyone else noticed larger than normal swarms?

[streule]

Yes, I't seems odd
I saw a huge Lasius Niger flight a few days ago and the numbers have been huge this year. There were ants crawling up my leg if I stood in one position for a few seconds
I wish I was carrying a camera, I could of caught some sightings

[Honeydewman]

I had some Sun in my area and again more Nigers flew.

A colony under my shed has had 4 flights in the last 5 weeks.

Admittedly this swarm lasted for only 10 minutes and probably released 100 or so but wow there must have been a good food source for the Colony this year. The Queen must be knackered from sheer egg production.

My friend said that this was a sign that we could be going to have a severe winter. Indeed looking at certain Trees shedding maybe there is some merit in this comment...

I have Swifts nesting on my House, dirty little so and so's, to them it is like Christmas and Birthdays coming at once.