Overview
- Local reports published Monday say gulls were seen wobbling and stumbling in Lowestoft and Aldeburgh after gorging on swarms of flying ants.
- Ornithologist Dr Viola Ross‑Smith of the British Trust for Ornithology suggests the ants' defensive chemical, formic acid, could act as a mild toxin and temporarily impair the birds.
- Dr Ross‑Smith emphasizes the idea is a hypothesis and urges research to test whether formic‑acid exposure is causing the disorientation while advising the public to seek help only for birds that appear truly unwell.
- The sightings coincide with the normal mid‑July emergence of flying ants and a spell of unusually hot weather that amplified insect swarms and gave gulls abundant, easily accessible food.
- Reporters note alternative explanations such as distraction or overfeeding, and one piece places the scenes in a broader context about how warming seas can change coastal wildlife patterns.