When are Flying Ants most available to trout?

July–September, typically 12:00–18:00. It picks up from about 14°C, peaks around 20°C and tails off by 28°C.

What flies imitate Flying Ants?

Black Ant, Flying Ant, Foam Ant, McMurray Ant, Parachute Ant, typically on a #20–18 hook.

How big are Flying Ants?

Adult stage: 4–5mm. That matches a #20–18 hook.

Terrestrial · Terrestrial

Flying Ants

Lasius niger

Size

4–5mm

Hook size

#20–18

Hatch window

Season July–SeptemberPeak time 12:00–18:00

Water temperature

20° peak

14°28°

How fish feed on it

Nothing about a beetle or an ant belongs in the water, which is rather the point — once it's in, it isn't getting out, and a trout that's spent all summer learning this doesn't need convincing twice. The takes tend to be confident and unhurried, especially along undercut banks and under overhanging branches where windfall has been landing for as long as the tree's been there.

Flies that imitate this

Black Ant

Flying Ant

Foam Ant

McMurray Ant

Parachute Ant

Ecology

Rivers & stillwaterLimestone loughsAlpine riversTolerates poor water

Where you'll find this

British IslesPresent
IberiaPresent
The AlpsPresent
ScandinaviaPresent
Continental EuropePresent
Atlantic fringePresent
North America — WestPresent
North America — EastPresent
East AsiaPresent
New ZealandPresent
PatagoniaPresent

Present throughout

About the genus Lasius

The black garden ant ( Lasius niger ), also known as the common black ant, is a formicine ant, the type species of the subgenus Lasius , found all over Europe and in some parts of North America, South America, Asia and Australasia. The European species was split into two species; L. niger is found in open areas, while L. platythorax is found in forest habitats. It is monogynous, meaning colonies have a single queen.