On a small patch of roadside verge in Devon, Highways England has become an unlikely champion of a super rare bug on the brink of extinction.
The narrow-headed ant is England’s rarest ant, with the only English population remaining on a small nature reserve run by the Devon Wildlife Trust and the A38 trunk road verge near Chudleigh Knighton.
Highly territorial, this rare woodland ant might be tiny at 10-12mm long but has big importance to the entire ecosystem with the seeds of many plants dependent upon them in areas of newly regenerating forest.
The nests, which can contain several queens and up to 1,000 worker ants, are nestled on a lush A38 verge and adjoining land and Highways England has joined forces with Devon Wildlife Trust and charity Buglife to try and secure a future for these miniature heroes in the UK’s ecosystem.
Highways England ecologist Leo Gubert explained:
“People might think it strange that a road authority would get involved in the survival of a rare ant but they are so endangered every nest counts.
“We carry out regular surveys at the nest sites and have an ongoing habitat management plan including scrub and grass clearance as these ants are very particular about where they live.
“As more areas of wildlife habitat are lost a wide variety of insects, plant and mammals are finding a safe haven on our roadside verges and by ensuring our network is as wildlife friendly as possible and by enhancing habitats alongside our roads, we might, ultimately, be able to contribute to the halt of biodiversity loss in the UK.”
In the South West, Highways England is working with partners including Devon Wildlife Trust, Buglife and Natural England on the ‘Back from the Brink Project’ . The aim is to conserve and enhance the overall status of narrow-headed ants as part of an overarching project to save 20 species from extinction and benefit over 200 more throughout England.
Andrew Bakere, Devon Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve officer for Chudleigh Knighton, said:
“We’re proud that the narrow headed ant’s last refuge in England is on the nature reserve we manage at Chudleigh Knighton Heath. The presence on the roadside verge of one of Devon’s busiest roads is a reminder just how precarious the state of much of our wildlife is. We hope that in the future it will spread to find a secure home elsewhere.”
Highways England is committed to a national Biodiversity Plan which is being supported by a £30 million national investment programme over the next five years.
The plan recognises road verges and associated land can be managed to provide areas of habitat, relatively free from human access, that may be scarce in the surrounding landscape.
These road verges can also be used to connect fragmented habitats in the wider landscape, enabling plant and animal populations to move and interact, and so become stronger and more resilient.
