Gransnet forums

Gardening

Just enjoying a ☕ outside

(20 Posts)
Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 16:03:04

And right next to me, the ants started flying!

I've retreated indoors but somehow brought a couple in with me.

Smileless2012 Fri 07-Jul-23 16:05:01

Oh how annoying. We'v just finished putting our shopping away, in time to watch Andy Murray providing our nerves can stand ithmm.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 16:06:30

I was telling the birds there was a feast there for them but I think they're snoozing.

I can't upload the photo.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 16:09:58

Try again

Aldom Fri 07-Jul-23 16:24:16

This morning as I was drinking my coffee outside I noticed there are hundreds of those miniscule flies everywhere. They were all over the glass and frame of the French doors.
I've never seen so many before. Just hoping they haven't found their way indoors.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 16:29:47

They'll be flying ants, I think, Aldom, many are females and off to prepare a new nest!

GrandmaSeaDragon Fri 07-Jul-23 16:45:10

I’ve just been down to my compost heap and there are thousands of flying ants there. They’ve only appeared this afternoon because I was there this morning and there was no sign of them!

BlueBelle Fri 07-Jul-23 16:57:18

I ve been sitting in my deckchair with a glass of cold cider watching the bees loving the bottle brush plant (after a swim in the great North Sea) perfect

Aldom Fri 07-Jul-23 22:50:02

Callistemon21

They'll be flying ants, I think, Aldom, many are females and off to prepare a new nest!

I've just seen on our local Facebook page that they are Thrips or Thunder bugs. They come when the corn is being harvested.
You learn something new every day. smile

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 22:55:10

Thunder bugs sound quite threatening!!
Actually, I think I saw two today - dead on the conservatory floor. I've never seen any before and wondered what they were.

The other flying insects here were definitely ants.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 22:58:17

BlueBelle

I ve been sitting in my deckchair with a glass of cold cider watching the bees loving the bottle brush plant (after a swim in the great North Sea) perfect

Is your bottle brush in a pot or planted in the garden, Bluebelle?

Mine's in a large pot, it's not looking so good this year but it is flowering. I fed it, but it either needs repotting into a huge pot or planting in a garden bed. I was worried about planting it out in case it doesn't survive the winter.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 23:00:19

I like the yucca? too - we had one in our last garden.

SueDonim Fri 07-Jul-23 23:02:56

Not just flying ants in my son’s garden, then! My GC were playing with some ‘creatures’ and when I inspected what was going on I was pretty sure they were flying ants.

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 23:13:23

Another try

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 23:15:55

Try again

Callistemon21 Fri 07-Jul-23 23:16:31

Nope - image is too large.

Oldbat1 Sat 08-Jul-23 16:22:41

Ive just heard on radio4 about the length of the flying ant “army” on the south coast and it was miles long. We used to get a flying ant day when we lived near London but ive never seen flying ants “up north” since we moved 20years ago.

Ziplok Fri 14-Jul-23 17:13:14

Oh, we get them up north Oldbat1 (at least in my part of the north) 😁. Not seen any just yet this year, though, but last year there were loads. I think it’s still a bit early here, I’m sure it was late July last year. There’s plenty of the small ants about, however.

Nandalot Fri 14-Jul-23 17:37:15

Well, I am pleased we haven’t got the flying ants..yet.. but we have had no sunshine today, just miserable heavy rain all day and very cold!

MrsKen33 Fri 14-Jul-23 17:58:29

No outside today. The rain is going sideways and there are great lumps of leaves all over the lawn. Similar tomorrow so they say.