I missed the UK flights yesterday. Famous for it's annual day of Lasius Niger nuptial flights, millions swarm everywhere for a day. After a year's wait. I had given up and was going to wait another year, after anting for a whole day today and not finding anything. I was in a really bad mood after checking for ants EVERY SINGLE DAY apart from yesterday, when the flights happened, because I was really busy. But then...
"Hey Mina, did you see any flying ants or anything today, or yesterday?" (Mina is my sister, wierd name I know, named after my auntie. I'm not foreign.)
"Yeah actually, I just saw loads.. one went on me and I screamed and squished it!!"
I would have loved to see the look on my face... I grabbed nine test tubes and ran off down the street. Filled all my test tubes in about 2-3 minutes. They had all lost wings so I'm assuming they are mated. (I know it's not a sign, but the flights were yesterday ..) I've put them away safely in a drawer, with perfect test tubes setups. It's also a good temperature for them. Now to wait.
Let's hope most of them make it through.
The lot
A random pic of one of them.
[revised the title and removed two emoticons --antdude]
"Hey Mina, did you see any flying ants or anything today, or yesterday?" (Mina is my sister, wierd name I know, named after my auntie. I'm not foreign.)
"Yeah actually, I just saw loads.. one went on me and I screamed and squished it!!"
I would have loved to see the look on my face... I grabbed nine test tubes and ran off down the street. Filled all my test tubes in about 2-3 minutes. They had all lost wings so I'm assuming they are mated. (I know it's not a sign, but the flights were yesterday ..) I've put them away safely in a drawer, with perfect test tubes setups. It's also a good temperature for them. Now to wait.
Let's hope most of them make it through.
The lot
A random pic of one of them.
[revised the title and removed two emoticons --antdude]
