Bumper swarms of flying ants could plague us in the days ahead if conditions remain ‘ripe’ for the mass breeding of millions of insects.

Each year there is said to be a day when millions of flying ants emerge from their nests all at the same time – in a spectacle which has come to be known as ‘flying ant day’.

However with the correct weather conditions, in reality the event may take place over a number of days or even a couple of weeks.

So how can you tell when flying ant day might occur?

Why do the ants swarm?

Flying ant day occurs when the queen of a colony decides to leave the nest, prompting thousands of young male ants to follow her in behaviour scientists call ‘nuptial day’.

During their flight the young queen ants mate with the strongest males before landing and starting their own colony in a new location.

In 2022 flying ant day took place in most parts of the country on July 12 and last year social media users declared the biggest invasions to have happened at the end of the month - on or around July 27.

But if weather conditions are dramatically different for individual regions, households will notice a slight change as to when insects take to the skies in the greatest numbers.

The likely time and date of the swarm, while tricky to predict with pinpoint accuracy, ordinarily takes when a short period of hot and humid weather follows rain - with experts suggesting our current spell of wet, windy but warm days may be enough to signal their arrival.

The Natural History Museum says: "This annual swarming event usually occurs in July or August and coincides with a period of hot and humid weather.

“Winged ants appear at different times around the country and local weather conditions are critical for the coordination of swarming activity."

You could see them from space

Although most of us may not relish the thought of thousands of the tiny creatures buzzing above our heads, it can be quite a sight.

In 2019, a huge swarm of the insects spotted over the south coast was so dense it could be seen from space.

The Met Office's radar picked up something over Kent, East and West Sussex, Hampshire and Dorset - and initially thought it could be incoming rain. But a closer look revealed it was thousands of flying ants.

While in 2021 there were concerns football fans taking their seats at Wembley for the postponed Euro’s 2020 final would be plagued by the creatures after radars detected millions of the bugs hovering over London.

For people living around the coast, flying ants can also present another challenge because the creatures produce formic acid, which is irresistible to seagulls.

Birds will gorge on ants and the acid's stupefying effect can make them appear drunk - and present a hazard to motorists when they sometimes stagger into the road.

Should you get rid of them?

Other than being annoying, most flying ants will do very little harm. In fact they can be extremely beneficial to outdoor spaces, helping to aerate soil and control other pests while also providing potential food for many species of birds.

And their arrival is short lived, so after a few days you should notice that any significant populations you have seen will begin disappearing, as their mating period is over.

But if you do find some near your home you may wish to discourage any potential new visitors from coming inside.

Keeping doors and windows closed when swarms are in their greatest numbers will help prevent them coming indoors. And if it’s really warm outside, using a fly screen is also advised to allow the air to circulate but keep the ants out, suggests Rentokil.

Disrupting any nests or growing ant mounds you find in your garden can also help reduce the chances of them coming in your house in very large numbers.