Swarms of flying ants descend on parts of England

Mystery drone sightings in Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming; the invasion of murder hornets; an army of cicadas; baffling radio circles from deep space... And now swarms of flying ants? (All in the same year as a global virus pandemic, BTW.)

Yes, residents of the United Kingdom spotted clusters of flying ants week. In fact, satellite radar detected a swarm flying over southeastern England on Friday, July 17, the U.K. Met Office reported.

"During the summer ants can take to the skies in a mass emergence, usually on warm, humid, and windless days," Met Office said on Twitter.

Though trending with the hashtag #FlyingAntDay, the ant colonies typically are seen over several weeks in the summer during their annual mating season, according to reports.

One video shared on social media by @WilliamABooth shows a cluster of ants in Ipswich, England, on Friday. The cluster drew hungry seagulls, who delighted in the mass of easy treats.

Another social video, this one posted by @Econet1892, shows ants in West Sussex, on England's southern coast with the comment: "Is it flying ant day today by any chance???"