The two ants are the Narrow-headed Ant (Formica exsecta) and the Erratic Ant (Tapinoma erraticum). The only English population of the Narrow-headed Ant lives at Devon Wildlife Trust's Chudleigh Knighton Heath nature reserve. The Erratic Ant, a Nationally Scarce species, was recently found at the Trust's Bovey Heathfield nature reserve. Together, these reserves are among the best and largest remaining examples of heathland that once covered much of South Devon.
The Narrow-headed Ant gets its name from the distinctive pinched look of its head. The species also lives at a few sites in Scotland, and a recent discovery on the Royal estate at Balmoral made national headlines.
The Erratic Ant is named for its high-energy foraging, as it scampers with meandering and unpredictable movements.
Both species have seen dramatic declines nationally and locally over the past 150 years, mainly due to the loss of their heathland homes. The UK's lowland heaths have shrunk by an estimated 85% in that time, because of changing agricultural land use, conifer plantations, building and road developments, and poor management.
A new project now aims to improve the remaining heathland homes of both ants, while also safeguarding their futures by establishing new colonies at suitable nearby sites.
The project is a collaboration between Devon Wildlife Trust and Buglife, two conservation charities. The three-year project has received £212,000 from the UK Government as part of the "Wild Again: Restoring England's Wildlife" campaign.
Chris Moulton, Devon Wildlife Trust's Nature Reserve Officer, looks after the ant sites at both Chudleigh Knighton Heath and Bovey Heathfield. He said: "Support from the Species Recovery Programme is wonderful news for Devon's wildlife. It will help us take three vital steps in the work of conserving these rare ants. First, it will allow us to undertake crucial management work improving the heathland habitat at both nature reserves, securing their existing homes. Our target for Narrow headed Ants will be to double their nest numbers from 200 to more than 400 at Chudleigh Knighton Heath. Second,
Brighter Future for Two of Devon’s Rarest Ants