UKH

Last Saturday we walked to the Whangie. From the top of the 1st rise, where the path levels out, to the Whangie itself, beasties... They weren't biting but they were everywhere, landing on us, crawling on us, up our noses, yuk. They seemed worse around puddles, sometimes looking ahead it looked like the path was a moving silvery mass of WTF. At the top of Auchineden Hill there was a breeze which calmed things. I've been there many times all year round and never experienced this.

Also, does anyone climb there these days? No climbers and no chalk anywhere. 

The post title sounds like a Rhoald Dahl kiddies story

They tend to swarm like that for only a day or two, so very easy to miss.

I once got covered by them at the top of Helm Crag in the Lakes, just the last 15' where you actually need to scramble on rock.

The summit of the Puy de Manse (near Gap) had a cloud of them on Sunday, annoying but they don't bite or sting. But they were only on the summit, once I walked maybe 5 m there were none. Saw a few other swarms elsewhere in the valley later in the week but nothing in the last two days

They're all trying to find a shag if that helps. So the one's landing on you are probably in post-coital bliss.

Be kind to then it's a once in a lifetime thing.

I don't think we've had flying ants in Stirling yet this year.

I've always kind of thought of the Whangie as a 'once a year' climbing venue - it's a beautiful and fascinating place, with amazing sunsets, but gets horrendous midge swarms when there's no wind, is seriously polished, and only really has about four good routes.

It's good for bouldering

I walked about 75 kms up the Pennine Way last weekend and the Derbyshire/Lancashire/Yorkshire moors were all alive with flying ants, so it seems they come out at the same time right across the middle and north of the British Isles!

The high moors were buzzing with even more of some other type of big insect, that has long legs (I think they're legs) that sweep down and back behind them as they fly. There huge clouds of these wee beasties - anyone know what they are?

Good article here: 

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/when-why-winged-ants-swarm-nuptial-flight.ht...

PS I experienced this once as a youth on a fishing holiday in Scotland; the trout in the burns were going wild and wouldn't touch my worm. I ran home and tied a couple of rough imitations as dry flies, got back to the burn and stopped after about ½ an hour; it was just too easy and I'd caught enough to ensure breakfast for the five of us for the next three days.

Have a like.

I've heard that, but never tried it. 

Last Saturday seems to have been Flying Ant Day across the UK; yeah, I know there's not actually a 'Day', but they were flying at:

Ben Lawers nature reserve
Ayrshire
Galloway
N.Wales
Mid Wales
S.Wales
Orpington