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Noisy seagulls could be drunk – on flying ants
Posted On 29 Jul 2014 at 7:04 pm
Have you found the seagulls rowdier than usual this year? If so, it could be because they’re drunk – on flying ants.
Seagull by Dani_vr from Flickr
Incredible as it may seem, biologists believe the warm weather has seen an increase in the flying insects, to the delight of greedy seagulls.
Formic acid from the ants then reacts in the gulls’ stomachs, making them drunk.
The Telegraph today quotes Dr Rebecca Nesbit from the Society of Biology, who said: “There have certainly been many, many more of [the ants] this summer.
“The gulls can also get very excited and loud when they eat the ants, so that could be a contributing factor.”
Earlier this month, seagulls provoked the anger of a resident of Wilbury Road in Hove, fed up with his neighbour feeding them from his rooftop.
The report he made to FixMyStreet makes no mention of whether the neighbour was feeding them flying ants though.
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Yes I have noticed these beautiful creatures are excitedly louder than usual. Love them. Lets hope the seagull hating snobs from Hove aren’t getting too upset by it.
Yes I have noticed these beautiful creatures are excitedly louder than usual. Love them. Lets hope the seagull hating snobs from Hove aren’t getting too upset by it.