A nest belonging to England's rarest ant species has been stolen from a nature reserve in south Devon, the Devon Wildlife Trust announced. The theft, discovered in mid-October when researchers found an empty space where a known nest had been, is believed to have involved a spade being used to dig out the colony.
The Narrow-headed ant is listed on the IUCN red list as nationally rare and near threatened with extinction. The species' last stronghold in England is Chudleigh Knighton Heath, a site also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Removing any material from such a site is against the law.
Julia Balfour, the trust's species recovery officer, described the theft as a crime as serious as illegal raids on wild bird eggs. She emphasized the significant loss to the species, as mature Narrow-headed ant colonies develop slowly, with queens capable of living up to 25 years. A single nest can house between 1,000 and 5,000 ants. The trust's most recent survey recorded 142 active nests on the reserve, making each colony vital.
Steve Hussey of the Devon Wildlife Trust expressed uncertainty about the motive behind the theft, suggesting it could be for a private collection or a misguided attempt at reintroduction elsewhere. He noted that while the removal of wildlife from reserves is not uncommon, it typically involves bird eggs or fungi, making the theft of an ant nest a first for the organization.
Conservation efforts for the Narrow-headed ant have been intensified through a collaboration between Devon Wildlife Trust and Buglife, supported by the UK Government's 'Wild Again: Restoring England's Wildlife' initiative. Laura Krusin, a conservation officer with Buglife, highlighted the catastrophic impact such a removal can have on the population, given the species' limited distribution in Devon and a few sites in Scotland. She stressed that the damage to the reserve and the loss of its ant inhabitants are heartbreaking.
Devon and Cornwall Police have been informed, and anyone with information is urged to come forward. PC Lucy Wyatt from the rural affairs team confirmed that damaging or disturbing a Site of Special Scientific Interest is a criminal offense. The species, identifiable by the distinctive 'pinched' appearance of its head, was once more widespread but has seen its numbers decline due to habitat loss from development and agricultural changes over the past century.