Ants Nest

There is very little action on or around the Wood Ants nest now. Their numbers will have dwindled and will mostly be living off their stores, hidden deep down in the nest.

This nest is a good 2.5 feet tall and I would be careful not to stand too close in the summer months when the ground seethes with the UK's largest ants. Once they get a grip on your skin, they don't let go, cover you with formic acid and it's not pleasant.

There are many Green Woodpeckers that live on the heath. Their diet consists exclusively of ants. In the summer months there are enough running around on the the surface of nests for the birds to avoid having to dig. You can see in the image the holes that they are now making to get down to the main chambers where there is the promise of rich pickings.

Foresters welcome the ants. They are a benevolent addition to any woodland. Climbing high into the tree tops, the ants gorge themselves on insects that would otherwise damage the trees and stunt their growth.

Unfortunately, there are times when entire mounds are destroyed. The Woodpeckers are not to blame. Although they are protected by law, there are those that still raid the nests for the eggs so sell to the pet trade as tender morsels for reptiles.

Another back blip!