30/06/2025
Shared from our friends at Sompting:
🚨 **Ant Season Warning: Look Out for Staggering Seagulls!** 🚨
The young ants have started hatching across Sussex —and while that’s part of nature’s rhythm, it’s bringing unexpected trouble for our local seagulls. These ants release formic acid as a natural defense. In small amounts, it’s harmless, but when gulls gobble down a feast of ants, it can cause them to appear **disoriented or ‘drunk, stumbling around and struggling to fly properly.
This sadly makes them much more vulnerable near roads, as they may not move quickly enough to avoid traffic. If you see a gull behaving strangely by the roadside, **please slow down** and give them space—they might just need a little time to recover.
⚠️ Important: These gulls can show symptoms that look like bird flu, which raises concerns. But in many cases, they’re not sick at all. Let’s avoid unnecessary action like euthanasia—a bit of fresh water and rest is often enough to get them back on their feet (or wings!).
Let’s help our feathered friends through this odd patch of nature. 🐜🕊️💚
