Greater Boston residents have taken to social media in recent days to flag swarms of winged ants seen fluttering and festering in the region, and Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife spokesperson Emily Stolarski said Tuesday the agency was “working on gathering more information” about the insects. One person who offered up information Monday was meteorologist Dave Epstein, who writes for the Globe and posted a video clip to X, formerly Twitter, of winged ants “swarming” around rocks near a chain-link fence. “Check out the ants swarming this afternoon,” Epstein wrote above the crawly clip.
“The ones with wings are likely sexually mature and going off to mate and start new colonies. Heat and humidity often kick them off so it stands to reason why I’m seeing them today. The winged ants are called alates.
” Advertisement Check out the ants swarming this afternoon. The ones with wings are likely sexually mature and going off to mate and start new colonies. Heat and humidity often kick them off so it stands to reason why I'm seeing them today.
The winged ants are called alates. #growingwisdom pic.twitter.
com/TaR57WhOLy Cambridge residents called out the ants on Monday night too. “My wife and I went for a walk this evening in Cambridge and were inundated with them,” wrote someone dubbed Mr. Eyeball on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday evening.
“Where are they coming from?” My wife and I went for a walk this evening in Cambridge and were inundated with.