Colony of England's rarest ants stolen from last habitat in the country

A conservation charity says thieves have removed a nest containing England's rarest ants from the last place in the country where they still survive.

Devon Wildlife Trust reported that the Narrow-headed Ant nest was taken without permission from its home in the Chudleigh Knighton Heath nature reserve in south Devon.

Such a nest could hold a colony between 1,000 and 5,000 ants-strong, as well as one or more breeding queens which could survive for as long as 25 years.