Seagulls are dying because they are getting so 'drunk' on flying ants

By Plymouth Herald  |  Posted: July 08, 2017 

Seagulls are suffering because they are getting 'drunk' on flying ants and suffering from the hot temperatures, say experts.

An unusual amount of dead birds have been reported across the country this week, as Plymouth and the nation experienced the annual 'Flying Ant Day'.

Although they are a nuisance, they pose no risk to humans, but some believe they have the unusual effect of getting our feathered friends absolutely sloshed.

The formic acid in the bodies of the ants is thought to mess with their cognitive ability leading to them acting inebriated, despite this they cannot resist the tasty treats.

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Seagulls Get 'Drunk' on Flying Ants

You won't like seagulls when they get a few ants in them. Seagulls in southwest England are getting "drunk" off of flying ants, brazenly stealing food out of residents' hands, flying directly into buildings and failing to get out of the way of cars, according to news reports.

Apparently the birds are becoming inebriated from the formic acid in the ants' bodies, which "lowers their inhibitions" and messes up their coordination, similar to the effects of alcohol, the Bristol Post reports. Hot weather has helped spawn large populations of ants, upon which the seagulls feed. "That isn't so good for the birds — it leaves them a bit drunk," Rebecca Nesbit, an entomologist with the Society of Biology, told the Bristol Post.

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