During one day every year vast numbers of flying ants take advantage of the warm weather to perform their mating ritual. Thousands of colonies will emerge at the same time which makes it more difficult for predators and increases the chances of obtaining a mate from a different colony. After mating the queens create new underground colonies and lay eggs for the rest of their lives. The majority of ants are wingless and the ants we see during the year are sterile female worker ants, but the ones we see flying are males and new queens of the species ‘Lasius niger’, the common black garden ant. When winged ants are found in a property it is possible that a colony has been established and a pest control professional should be contacted. Contact 24hour-pestcontrol.co.uk if you have a problem with an ant infestation in your home.