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Downtrodden ants return home |
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ants have returned home to Bovey Heath. |
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A
rare species of ant has been returned to its home at Bovey Heathland
in South Devon. The colony of narrow-headed wood ants was moved to
Paignton Zoo several years ago because its natural habitat was being
damaged. |
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The Devon
Wildlife Trust stepped in to save the ant colony in 2002 by buying
the internationally important site where they live.
Bovey Heath, which is home to more than 50 protected species, had
suffered major damage as a result of bike scrambling and illegal dumping.
The ant, known
by its latin name Formica Execta, can only be found in the Bovey Basin
after being wiped out across the rest of England.
There are two colonies - at Chudleigh Knighton Heath and at nearby
Bovey Heath. Chudleigh Knighton Heath is already a DWT nature reserve.
The colony at Bovey Heath had been under threat for years from illegal
motorbiking and from cars being dumped and set alight.
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are only two surviving colonies of Formica executa. |
In an
attempt to save the ants and the internationally important heathland,
the DWT bought the land, which is a site of special scientific interest.
As
a first step the colony of narrow-headed wood ants was taken to Paignton
Zoo while clearance work was carried out on the heath.
Since then the trust has cleared 30 tonnes of rubbish and 50 burned
out cars and now the site is ready for the ants to return.
"Its return is quite a symbolic moment because it marks the success
of our efforts to manage the site well," said Trust Wildlife
Officer Stephen Carroll.
"In 1989 there were seven nests of this species of ant at Bovey
Heathfield. By 1999 there was only one nest remaining."
"It's no longer a car graveyard and bike track and we've put
a lot of work in to clear the site and prevent further erosion."
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| The
ants being returned to their natural habitat. Photo: DWT. |
Mr Carroll
said the transfer would begin by carefully digging up the nest from
its site at the zoo.
"We'll be transferring the ants nest on wooden pallets," said
Mr Carroll.
"It will then be lowered into a pre-dug hole and the pallet will be
removed.
"There will be some more digging, but hopefully it should all go together
like a jigsaw."
Bovey Heathfield is one of the most important lowland heath sites
in the county, with the potential to offer the right conditions for
a huge range of wildlife which requires the specific conditions of
this type of habitat.
The
DWT has secured financial support from English Nature to run the site
as a Local Nature Reserve.
Devon Wildlife Trust's work to improve Bovey Heathfield has included
transplanting heather turf to cover bike tracks and ruts and scarifying
bare ground to encourage heather seeds to germinate.
As part of the project Stephen Carroll was employed as a community
officer for the heath to ensure the site is respected in future.
"The next thing we want to do is encourage more people to visit
Bovey Heathfield," said Mr Carroll.
"We want them to see that it’s not a dumping ground any more.
It's a beautiful heathland which is home to protected species including
Dartford warblers, stonechats, skylarks and bats, as well as the ants."
Page
updated: 25th February 2004
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