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donttread
09-04-2015, 08:15 AM
Sunday my wife and I went about 60 miles away to play a golf course we enjoy. We pocked ":flying ant day" . Millions of them swarming around from what appeared to be 2-3 different species and some very lucky predator insects as well. In a nearby parking lot they were even worse , staining windshields etc. I can remember years ago near the same area seeing a cloud of them.
Has anyone experiences this? Are each of those ants going off to start a colony or what?

Peter1469
09-04-2015, 02:37 PM
I have not seen that before. Did you take pictures?

Redrose
09-04-2015, 02:48 PM
We haven't seen flying ants, we have a golf course nearby that is thick with no-see-ums. Miserable, when you're setting up your shot they swarm you, in your eyes, ears, mouth. It can ruin a game.

We stopped playing there.

Peter1469
09-04-2015, 02:52 PM
Sounds like salt water gnats- Avon skin so soft works to keep them away. They have a no-scent version since they found out hunters where using their wives' version.

donttread
09-04-2015, 03:31 PM
I have not seen that before. Did you take pictures?

No, we should have. I wish I had a pic of the swarm that darkened the sky a few years back near your old Fort Drum haunts

donttread
09-04-2015, 03:32 PM
We haven't seen flying ants, we have a golf course nearby that is thick with no-see-ums. Miserable, when you're setting up your shot they swarm you, in your eyes, ears, mouth. It can ruin a game.

We stopped playing there.

Even if they aren't biting much they form a cloud around your head

Bob
09-04-2015, 03:39 PM
Sunday my wife and I went about 60 miles away to play a golf course we enjoy. We pocked ":flying ant day" . Millions of them swarming around from what appeared to be 2-3 different species and some very lucky predator insects as well. In a nearby parking lot they were even worse , staining windshields etc. I can remember years ago near the same area seeing a cloud of them.
Has anyone experiences this? Are each of those ants going off to start a colony or what?

Termites swarm and some assume they are ants. (umm, see post 8 for more data)

Bob
09-04-2015, 03:43 PM
I learned today there are Flying ants. I knew a lot about flying termites.

This is how to tell the difference.

http://www.orkin.com/termites/flying-ants-vs-termites/

donttread
09-04-2015, 04:33 PM
Termites swarm and some assume they are ants. (umm, see post 8 for more data)

We don't have a lot of termites this far north. These are ants. The funny thing is I've only ever seen the swarms in a limited area of NNY

donttread
09-04-2015, 05:07 PM
I learned today there are Flying ants. I knew a lot about flying termites.

This is how to tell the difference.

http://www.orkin.com/termites/flying-ants-vs-termites/

Interesting and perhaps some were termites, which might explain the different sizes

Bob
09-04-2015, 07:07 PM
We don't have a lot of termites this far north. These are ants. The funny thing is I've only ever seen the swarms in a limited area of NNY

If they have the pinched waists, you are right. If the waist is not there, they are termites.

NY state has termites. I read up on the Subterranean types and they swarm when the colony gets to be about 10 years old. I have seen swarms of them myself. They tend to scare most people thinking their house is being eaten up.

http://nysipm.cornell.edu/whats_bugging_you/termites/default.asp

Bob
09-04-2015, 07:08 PM
Termites have enemies. It is possible ants eat them.

Dr. Who
09-04-2015, 07:28 PM
Sunday my wife and I went about 60 miles away to play a golf course we enjoy. We pocked ":flying ant day" . Millions of them swarming around from what appeared to be 2-3 different species and some very lucky predator insects as well. In a nearby parking lot they were even worse , staining windshields etc. I can remember years ago near the same area seeing a cloud of them.
Has anyone experiences this? Are each of those ants going off to start a colony or what?
You are right about starting a colony, however you were also witnessing a massive ant orgy after which all the males die and the females go off to establish new colonies.

http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Pests/flyant.htm

Bob
09-04-2015, 08:24 PM
If you want to know the bugs of NY State, check out this site.

http://www.insectidentification.org/insects-by-state.asp?thisState=New%20York

gamewell45
09-04-2015, 08:51 PM
Sunday my wife and I went about 60 miles away to play a golf course we enjoy. We pocked ":flying ant day" . Millions of them swarming around from what appeared to be 2-3 different species and some very lucky predator insects as well. In a nearby parking lot they were even worse , staining windshields etc. I can remember years ago near the same area seeing a cloud of them.
Has anyone experiences this? Are each of those ants going off to start a colony or what?

I wonder if you are confusing them with "love bugs"? I've seen them and from what you are describing it sounds like them.

Btw it would make a great title for a Sci Fi movie. :)

donttread
09-04-2015, 10:35 PM
If they have the pinched waists, you are right. If the waist is not there, they are termites.

NY state has termites. I read up on the Subterranean types and they swarm when the colony gets to be about 10 years old. I have seen swarms of them myself. They tend to scare most people thinking their house is being eaten up.

http://nysipm.cornell.edu/whats_bugging_you/termites/default.asp

I'm sure we have termites but they don't do a lot of house damage here in NNY. Very different climate than NYC for example. Carpenter ants are a bigger problem here.

donttread
09-04-2015, 10:36 PM
I wonder if you are confusing them with "love bugs"? I've seen them and from what you are describing it sounds like them.

Btw it would make a great title for a Sci Fi movie. :)

No, I've heard about the love bugs

Bob
09-04-2015, 11:27 PM
I'm sure we have termites but they don't do a lot of house damage here in NNY. Very different climate than NYC for example. Carpenter ants are a bigger problem here.

What is NNY?

Peter1469
09-05-2015, 01:50 AM
Northern New York.

donttread
09-05-2015, 08:53 AM
You are right about starting a colony, however you were also witnessing a massive ant orgy after which all the males die and the females go off to establish new colonies.

http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Pests/flyant.htm

So I was watching.... ant porn? New low for me! LOL No , that actually answers the question I had of how they find other ants to impregnate them after they fly away. But they apparently fly away pregnant.

donttread
09-05-2015, 08:55 AM
What is NNY?

More like Vermont than what most people think of as NY and much colder and snowier than southern MY

Bob
09-05-2015, 03:53 PM
More like Vermont than what most people think of as NY and much colder and snowier than southern MY

Do you mean north of Albany close to Canada? I hear it gets very cold there. Insects can be stopped just by cold.

donttread
09-05-2015, 04:26 PM
Do you mean north of Albany close to Canada? I hear it gets very cold there. Insects can be stopped just by cold.

Yes about 175 miles from Albany and about an hour from the Canadian border

Bob
09-05-2015, 04:36 PM
Yes about 175 miles from Albany and about an hour from the Canadian border

I got no further north in NY than the toll road to Buffalo. And it was in fall. Nice weather then.

donttread
09-06-2015, 05:57 PM
Last year Buffalo got 6 feet of snow in one storm

Private Pickle
09-07-2015, 01:57 PM
Sunday my wife and I went about 60 miles away to play a golf course we enjoy. We pocked ":flying ant day" . Millions of them swarming around from what appeared to be 2-3 different species and some very lucky predator insects as well. In a nearby parking lot they were even worse , staining windshields etc. I can remember years ago near the same area seeing a cloud of them.
Has anyone experiences this? Are each of those ants going off to start a colony or what?

Did they have lots of bling?

donttread
09-07-2015, 07:06 PM
Did they have lots of bling?

Nope just wings

Private Pickle
09-07-2015, 08:07 PM
Nope just wings

Ahhh...was wondering if their were eleg-Ants

donttread
09-08-2015, 08:41 AM
Ahhh...was wondering if their were eleg-Ants

Groan

Private Pickle
09-08-2015, 01:52 PM
Groan

Were they black? It could have been the presid-Ant.

donttread
09-08-2015, 02:34 PM
Were they black? It could have been the presid-Ant.

No but I met one named Adam

Private Pickle
09-08-2015, 10:01 PM
No but I met one named Adam

Did he look like a drag queen?

donttread
09-09-2015, 05:34 AM
Did he look like a drag queen?

The PC term is "transgender small winged creature"