When is Flying Ant Day 2026? Baking UK braced for insect invasion
Researchers give month and locations most associated for mass arrival of nuisance bugs
As temperatures soar, Brits are taking increasingly anxious look to the skies for the dawn of Flying Ant Day - the infamous moment when nuisance insects swarm.
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While the UK is suffering its hottest June ever, with a rare red weather alert in action, Flying Ant Day is an annual occurrence - but like the weather it is tricky to forecast.
There is always one day per year when thousands of flying insects emerge from their nests at the same time, as black winged ants journey around the country in warmer conditions.
The ant exodus occurs when a colony's queen flies off to begin a new colony and is joined by male companions.
"Then the air seems to be full of them and we find ourselves ducking and diving, trying not to get them in our mouths or hair," the Natural History Museum states about the phenomenon.
But when will Flying Ant Day strike in 2026?
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When is UK Flying Ant Day 2026?
There is no specific Flying Ant Day as the decision as to when the migrations happen is made at different points in different parts of the UK, but is usually felt in mid to late summer - in July or August.
There are reports of Flying Ant Day being as early as June and as late as September.
It is more likely to be felt in urban environments than in the countryside, and it has been known to affect Wimbledon's tennis players in years gone by.
Ants are good judges of the short term weather forecast and choose a warm, calm day to make the exodus, with thousands flying to a different site at the same time.
The flying ants, while a nuisance to humans, are not harmful and can provide a source of food to birds.