Flying Ant Day!

[Buckeye Amy]

After yesterday's rain and today's heat, the flying ants emerged from their underground nests late this afternoon! I had already put the flock in for the day but when I saw what was happening, I released them again to feast. I wish I'd had my phone on me to video what took place! They went bananas chasing the bugs around, leaping and jumping after the airborne ants, and pouncing on the ones still streaming out of the ground. The frenzy lasted about an hour and everyone went to roost with a full crop tonight. Totally satisfying to witness!

 

[Debbie292d]

I bet that's akin to us moving the woodpile or splitting wood. The chickens come running when we run the wood splitter as we'll come across a plethora of ants inside one occasionally. Like a frenzy! They don't fly though so yours had to be much more entertaining!

 

[Buckeye Amy]

I bet that's akin to us moving the woodpile or splitting wood. The chickens come running when we run the wood splitter as we'll come across a plethora of ants inside one occasionally. Like a frenzy! They don't fly though so yours had to be much more entertaining!

Wood piles are a great protein source! I've got one that needs to be moved, maybe tomorrow.

 

[Sally PB]

When hubby splits wood and finds a log with ants, that log goes into the chicken run. Good times!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I will sometimes lay scraps of wood around the chicken run, then move them after a couple of weeks...all kinds of creepy-crawlies underneath that the chickens love!

 

[FrostRanger]

Just for those unaware of the cause of this phenomenon, most ants born into an colony are infertile females however, every now and then the queen lays eggs with fertile males and fertile females. Fertile males and fertile females have wings so when they're mature they'll fly off to mate and start their own colonies

 

[Buckeye Amy]

Just for those unaware of the cause of this phenomenon, most ants born into an colony are infertile females however, every now and then the queen lays eggs with fertile males and fertile females. Fertile males and fertile females have wings so when they're mature they'll fly off to mate and start their own colonies

Thanks for that, I learned something new today!