‘Lost’ ant species reintroduced in Shropshire conservation project
The project also contributes to wider conservation efforts across the region, including habitat restoration work at Kinver Edge, also cared for by the National Trust, where southern red wood ants are being reintroduced.
They help maintain the balance of woodland habitats by influencing soil health, insect populations and the wider food web.
They also provide natural pest control, preying on insects such as caterpillars and aphids that can damage trees, helping to regulate insect populations and support the long-term health of the woodland.
Their large dome-shaped nests also act as biodiversity hotspots.
Across the UK, the ants have declined due to habitat loss, woodland fragmentation and changes in land management that have reduced the sunny woodland edges and glades they rely on.
In some regions they have completely disappeared, external, including much of the Midlands, East and North.
They are listed as near-threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
