Post by @futurebird@sauropods.win

This is horrible! There are not many colonies of the unique wood ants and to think someone would dig up their nest to steal them? When they are endangered? Monstrous.

There is a similar species in the Americas with a shapely head but I don’t think it is as rare.

I was helping identify these ants on iNaturalist this summer! I’ve never seen them in person and now perhaps I never will. But I know just who ask about this crime first!

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2262449/thieves-steal-rare-ant-colony/amp

Thieves steal rare ant colony from last stronghold in England

Devon Wildlife Trust has reported that a nest belonging to Narrow-headed Ants was removed without permission.

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08/15 R.I.P. Natenom🖤

@OhWeh@climatejustice.social 1 hr. ago

@futurebird

I was just about to ask you if you already knew that. I can’t imagine why anyone would do something like that.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/nov/02/rare-narrow-headed-ant-nest-stolen-devon

the Guardian

Rare ant nest stolen from last place in England where species survives

Devon nature reserve says ‘reckless’ theft of narrow-headed ant colony sets back years of conservation work

myrmepropagandist

@futurebird@sauropods.win 23 min. ago

@OhWeh

I could start an "ant true crime" podcast the way this keeps happening.

These people remind me of 19th century orchid fiends.

08/15 R.I.P. Natenom🖤

@OhWeh@climatejustice.social 13 min. ago

@futurebird

Personally, we’re more interested in botany and animals, such as birds. We haven’t published exact locations for about 20 years now. But we hear from lots of people who did that once and now really regret the day they did it.

myrmepropagandist

@futurebird@sauropods.win 7 min. ago

@OhWeh

I thought iNaturalist had these ants location obscured... but they are wood ants, their mounds are huge.

I love seeing photos of them in the wild it makes me so happy. :(

lxskllr

@lxskllr@mastodon.world 7 hr. ago

@futurebird

What would be the motivation? Private collectors? Is that a thing?

myrmepropagandist

@futurebird@sauropods.win 25 min. ago

@lxskllr

There some people in Germany and China who pay outrageous sums for certain ants maybe someone told them what to get? IDK

What is the point of having a colony you can't show to anyone because everyone knows they are protected? Pretend you raised a queen?

Even then you can't even collect queens, but that's at least not as destructive as collecting a live colony. It might not survive.

It's wretched.

Don Ray

@donray@mastodon.online 2 min. ago

@futurebird @lxskllr

There’s probably a circle of evil people who like showing illegal acquisitions to their evil friends. That’s kind of how the Epstein class functioned.

myrmepropagandist

@futurebird@sauropods.win 1 min. ago

@donray @lxskllr

OK but I thought they liked tigers and stuff. These are humble little ants.

Well there's someone into everything in some kind of a way I suppose.