Swarm of flying ants takes over Pennsylvania cafeteria and forces school to close
A high school in Pennsylvania was dismissed early after a swarm of flying ants took over the cafeteria, school staff said.
Lower Dauphin High School in Hummelstown sent students home at 10:30 a.m. on May 12, officials said in a Facebook post. They said the early closure was because of “flying ants in the high school cafeteria which will prevent us from having lunch.”
An exterminator addressed the insect problem, and school is expected to return to its regular hours on Monday, the school said in an update to its Facebook post. School normally ends at about 2:30 p.m.
Flying ants, also known as carpenter ants, are often mistaken for termites, according to American Pest. Though flying ants are “much less of a threat” than termites, they can indicate issues with water leaks and do millions of dollars of property damage if a swarm is not dealt with.
“These insects prefer soft or rotted wood to create their tunnels and nest galleries,” the company says on its website.
Hummelstown is about 105 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
This story was originally published May 12, 2023 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Swarm of flying ants takes over Pennsylvania cafeteria and forces school to close."
