Wildlife Creatures Receive Attention - A group of ants relocates close to Dessau.
A group of Red Wood Ants has been relocated to a forested area within an industrial complex between Dessau-Roßlau and Oranienbaum. Due to an expansion project, the ants were moved approximately 200 meters away by ant specialist, landscape architect, and horticultural engineer Frigga Rosenkranz. It was crucial to transfer the queen during the transfer, or else the ants would be without a leader. However, some colonies have more than one queen. It will not be known if the move was successful until approximately eight weeks have passed.
The change of location was a significant disruption for the ants, remarked Rosenkranz from the "Förder- und Landschaftspflegeverein Biosphärenreservat Mittelelbe e.V.". The ants entered a defensive state, as evidenced by the presence of distinct scents in the air. Since not all ants could be captured in the first attempt, there will be additional rounds. Rosenkranz has already taken part in around four ant rehoming efforts.
The goal is always to prevent mistakes. Along with the queen, who is the primary consideration, the selection of the new site is also important. In this instance, the same conditions were found about 200 meters away. Taking the ants further away with a car could be hazardous, due to the vibrations, among other things. Additionally, too many ants could be injured during the journey.
At the new location, the ant expert attempted to make things more comfortable for the insects. She searched for a suitable root system, for example. To make the new dwelling more inviting, she sprinkled sugar around. This way, the ants wouldn't have to seek out food right away but could eat immediately, explained Rosenkranz.
The Red Wood Ants, commonly referred to as the forest's health police, devour tens of thousands of forest pest larvae and caterpillars in the vicinity of their nest.
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- Following the relocation, the Red Wood Ants have now established their new home in an extension building near Dessau-Roßlau, providing them with a new habitat amidst the urban and natural surroundings of Saxony-Anhalt.
- Frigga Rosenkranz, the ant specialist, has noted an interesting observation during the rehoming process. While the Red Wood Ants typically thrive on a diet primarily consisting of forest pests, some of them have shown a peculiar interest in the desserts left outside windowsills of nearby buildings in Dessau.
- As the ant colony acclimates to its new surroundings, the extension building provides a unique blend of nature and urban life, offering a variety of interesting interactions between the ants and other local wildlife creatures, making it an attractive area for both researchers and nature enthusiasts in Dessau-Roßlau.
