Flying ants swarmed Ireland last night and everyone freaked out

Is everyone ok after Flying Ant Day 2014?

So did everyone have a nice Flying Ants Day?

Yesterday, you could have been forgiven for thinking the End Of Days had come as swarms of flying ants took to the skys to fly, mate and generally freak everyone out.

They're flying! Flying #ants day in Dublin pic.twitter.com/5gvxLiWeAV

— Philip Bromwell (@philipbromwell) July 21, 2014

The weather is warm and sticky which meant perfect conditions for the insects who have been waiting all summer to, well... get it on in what is romantically called their 'nuptial flight'.

The males take to the air to mate with the immature queens ("No, you're the immature queen!") Once some of the ants start to fly, the other ants can detect their smell leading to the huge swarms seen around the country yesterday.

Last thing I needed to arrive home to was FLYING ANTS! Oh noes :( pic.twitter.com/X920L8AJXj

— Darragh Curran (@darraghcurran) July 21, 2014

While the females land and discard their wings to dig a tunnel to lay their eggs, the males sadly die soon after. Such is life...

And we owe the seagulls an apology, guys. After all the bad press, it seems they were the only ones that could take on the swarming masses.

You people may hate seagulls for now, but they're the only ones bold enough to tackle the flying ants. pic.twitter.com/RpgrHRwShD

— Elizabeth Ahern-Flynn (@ElizabethAF) July 21, 2014

Flying Ant Day is definitely our least favourite holiday…