 The mass of flying insects often attracts the attention of predators such as birds, and it is common to see flocks gorging on the readily available food.This phenomenon occurs in many colonies simultaneously when local weather conditions are appropriate, to reduce the effectiveness of predation, and to ensure that the queens and males from different colonies stand a chance of meeting and interbreeding.It therefore has the appearance of being a 'timed' event or that the ants somehow communicate.