Today the Society of Biology launched the 2014 flying ant survey, and is calling for everyone to report their sightings.

The unusually warm spring may bring flying ants out early. Spring 2014 (March, April, May) was provisionally the UK's third warmest in a series from 1910, and nights were particularly mild.

This is the third year of the survey. The results from 2012 were surprising, with two flying ant days divided by two weeks of poor weather. The pattern was even more complex in 2013, with not one but four peaks in flying ant appearances from 22nd July to 22nd August 2013.

The flying ant survey data has been analysed by Professor Adam Hart and Christina Catlin-Groves from the University of Gloucestershire. Adam says: “It has been fascinating to see complex patterns of flying ant days in 2012 and 2013, and it seems likely that 2014 will show something different yet again.

“The survey is dispelling the myths of a single ‘flying ant day’. Last year we had a flying ant month, and it will be interesting to see whether there is another long flying ant season this year.”