At first it was jellyfish in Broughty Ferry and now parts of Dundee and beyond have come under a new attack by flying ants.
The winged invaders have been spotted throughout the city, with reports reaching The Courier that the Lochee area has been heavily infiltrated.
The muggy summer weather has been blamed for the swarms of flying ants in the area as the females select this time of year to mate and start new colonies.
Large queen ants fly into the air, attracting smaller males who then die once the ritual has been completed. The females then shed their wings and find a place to start the new colony.
While Dundonians may fear that a plague has been cast upon their city, experts insist this is an annual occurrence that should not cause alarm.
Robert Wilkie of Strathearn Pest Control said, “It’s that time of the year when the females grow wings and leave their nests. They will then mate, shed their wings and make a new nest.
“It usually happens in late summer and since it has been mild it’s a perfect time for them.”
We have received numerous reports, with the ants spotted in Stobswell, the Hilltown and the city centre. Further sightings have been made in Fife near Kirkcaldy and along the coastline.
Dylan Drummond (41) from Lochee said, “I was walking on Lochee High Street the other evening and I could see them in the air. I then looked at the ground and could see about one to three every square metre all the way to the top of the street.
“They don’t appear to do any harm, although if one lands on you then you do feel a bit icky.
“I did wonder if this was the start of things leading up to 2012 and although I don’t go to church much I did check the Book of Revelation to see if this was the start of the end of the world!”
While there appears no need to stock up on tinned food and batten down the hatches just yet, Mr Wilkie did issue a reminder that the problem could be closer to home than many would like.
“It depends on the situation really,” the pest control expert added. “It would be possible that somebody could come home and the ants would be under a skirting board or on the side of a pipe.
“However, normally there is little activity after this until next summer when it starts again.”
Photo courtesy of Dylan Drummond.