Swarms of flying ants have descended on parts of Kent.

They have been spotted in Maidstone, Gillingham, Tunbridge Wells, Sheerness and Greenhithe - so far.

It comes after a huge mass of the insects over the south coast was so dense it could be seen from space.

The Met Office initially thought it could be rain but a closer look revealed it was in fact thousands of flying ants.

Today, Delphine Houlton says she is "unable to get out of her back door" in Tunbridge Wells, while Sam Brown from Gillingham questions whether the ants "just get hot and sprout wings".

Canterbury was popular with the insects last night. Security guard Amy Browne was working and said: "We must have counted more than 300 of them all over the walls and doorways and landing on people too."

Swarms are common around this time of year as the ants seek potential mates.

Some people have referred to the phenomenon as flying ant day, but a study found they are flying on 96% of the days between June and September in the UK.

The 'nuptial flight' sees the average back-garden ant grow bigger and develop wings before beginning their flight.

During this flight the young queen ants will mate with the strongest males before landing and starting their own colony in a new location.

This crucial process prevents cross-breeding within the colony and helps to spread the ant population, with each new colony being able to house thousands of ants.

For people living on the coast, flying ants present another challenge.

The ants produce formic acid, which can prove irresistible to seagulls.

The birds can gorge on ants, but the stupefying effect can make them appear drunk - and present a hazard to motorists when they stagger into the road.

Have you been swarmed by flying ants today? Tweet your photos and videos to @Kent_Online or email rtuffin@thekmgroup.co.uk

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