EXPERTS investigating a rise in gull attacks claim the birds are lashing out because they are getting drunk on record numbers of flying ants.
Readers and business owners in Gloucester and Cheltenham say gulls cause many problems, including noise nuisance, raiding litter bins and even stealing food from peoples' hands.
A new theory explaining an increase in seagull attacks has been found - they are getting drunk on formic acid after gorging on flying ants
Now scientists say gulls' behaviour is getting worse because the hot temperatures have seen a massive boom in the insects, which they are feeding on.
The ants then turn to formic acid in their stomachs and act like alcohol - causing the gulls to lose inhibitions around humans and brazenly steal food.
They are left so tipsy the gulls have been seen flying straight into buildings and into the paths of moving cars.
Dr Rebecca Nesbit, an entomologist with the Society of Biology, said the problem is worse this summer because the hot weather is bringing out record numbers of flying ants.
She added: "That isn't so good for the birds - it leaves them a bit drunk."
RSPB spokesman Tony Whitehead added: "Gulls love flying ants and as they come out of the ground the birds will feast on them early in the morning and late in the evening."
Gloucester City Council has waged a 10-year war against the gulls trying several methods to reduce their population in the city.
One of the latest initiatives is to encourage traders to put their rubbish in 'gull-proof' bags which can be left out on tge streets ready for collection without fear that gulls will raid them for their contents.
City councillor Paul Toleman, who spearheaded the initiative, said: "All the gulls I have ever seen in our city much prefer to munch on our leftovers that are left on the streets. I'm sure they prefer that to any ants.
"The bags are starting to be rolled out across the city and with any luck there will be little food left for them to target. As a result they may well start to turn to flying ants so I'd expect that we might very well see a few drunk gulls around the city."
Residents in Ilfracombe, Devon, recently reported being swooped on by the animals and assumed they were protecting their nests.
But they sensed something was wrong when the birds started flying into buildings and into the paths of cars.
Motorist Viv Gregory has seen dozens of dead birds this week on the road into Ilfracombe.
She said: "As I started driving up the hill, the seagulls were all over the place, pecking in the road. I've never seen it before. They're in the road and they just don't want to move." Have you seen 'drunk' seagulls in Gloucestershire? Email citizen.news@glosmedia.co.uk
