A nest of rare narrow-headed ants has been removed by thieves from Chudleigh Knighton Heath in south Devon, home to the species' last population in England, GB News reported. Devon Wildlife Trust said conservationists found a hole and signs of spade digging during routine checks of known nests in mid-October. A single nest can hold between 1,000 and 5,000 ants and one or more queens that can live for up to 25 years.
The species is nationally rare and listed as near threatened, having declined over the past century as heathland was lost to building and farming. Fewer than 150 nests are known on the reserve. The trust's species recovery officer, Julia Balfour, compared the theft to illegal raids on wild birds' eggs and said losing one colony set back years of conservation work. The trust has appealed for information.
Source: GB News
