Last hebdomad , the UK ’s weather service registered what seemed like a organisation of rain showers move along the commonwealth ’s southern coast . But it was n’t pelting — it was a swarm of flyingants .
Though it sounds like something out of a revulsion motion picture or the Old Testament , it ’s actually a completely normal phenomenon that occurs in the UK every summertime when a bout of raging , humid weather trace a catamenia of rainfall , The Guardianreports . Flyingantsdecide it ’s a ripe time to checkmate , and the pouf takes to the sky , emitting pheromones that attract male person .
From there , it ’s survival of the fit . The tabby will out - aviate most of her suitor , leaving only the potent male to catch up and mate with her , which ensures the forte of her progeny . The others either lose their wings and strike to the land , or become dame food for thought . ( The ant produce formic acid in their bodies as a defense mechanism , which may make gulls that eat them seem loopy . )
According toSmithsonian.com , the pouf will chew off her wings after mating and fall to the ground to go a new colony , and the spermatozoon she pile up from that one flight will fertilize her testicle for the rest of her life ( which could be up to 15 geezerhood in the state of nature ) .
The official , rather - romantic term for the annual aerial prank is “ nuptial trajectory , ” but locals often refer to it simply as “ fly ant day . ” It sometimes lasts for weeks , during which billions of the harmlessinsectscan be go out in the sky .
A voice from the Met Office explained that its atmospheric condition orbiter err the pismire for rainwater clouds because the radio detection and ranging detect the emmet in the same way it sees raindrops . Dr. Adam Hart , an bug-hunter at the University of Gloucestershire , toldThe Guardianthat he thinks the grounds the radar file the ants this yr was a solvent of upright satellite technology rather than an increase in the flying ant population .
[ h / tSmithsonian.com ]
