Small insects, big damage: The global ant trade is booming
Legal or not, the trade in African ants bound for Europe is booming. What do hobbyists find appealing about these insects, and what risks does the trade pose to ecosystems, including power outages?
The global ant trade is rapidly expanding, with thousands of ants being seized in Kenyan courtrooms. Such cases have been reported several times since 2025, involving the sought-after Messor Cephalotes species, also known as the Giant African Harvester Ant. A single queen can fetch over €200 on the market, making it a lucrative target for smugglers.
Kenya has stringent laws against wildlife trafficking due to poaching, particularly of elephants and rhinoceroses. A Chinese national was recently sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to export ants, serving as a deterrent. In 2024, four men known as the "Ant Gang" were caught trying to smuggle 5,500 queen ants to Europe, each fined around €5,000.
Entomologist Dino Martins, who has led several research institutes in Kenya, expressed shock at the sheer number of ants and their status as young queens capable of establishing new colonies. This interrupts the formation of new colonies, affecting Kenya's ecosystems as ants also transport grass seeds to regenerate the savannah.
In Europe, keeping ants as pets has gained popularity, especially among young people. Ant colonies are housed in glass terrariums, allowing queens to produce offspring and create new populations. Hobbyist Michael Meier, who used to keep nearly 30 colonies, noted that exotic species are especially attractive as they don't hibernate, allowing enthusiasts to enjoy them year-round.
Online shops offer ants for purchase with just a few clicks, often advertising them under the category "African ants." The trade operates in a legal gray area, as ants are not considered a threatened species under the CITES agreement, neither prohibited nor regulated globally. Kenya bans the export of all wildlife, but ants can still be smuggled out through hand luggage or mail due to the porous nature of the trade.
The online wildlife trade has expanded beyond ants, with Russell Gray's team finding over 266,000 advertisements on popular platforms like Facebook, generating around $66 million in combined value. This highlights the significant profits and low risks associated with wildlife smuggling, attracting organized criminal networks.
Biologist Chris Shepherd from the Center for Biological Diversity is deeply concerned about the ant trade's high profits and low risks, which make it appealing to organized crime. He urges CITES to address the issue, particularly its potential consequences for ecosystems. Ants are already causing power and internet outages in southern Germany due to their nesting in electrical distribution boxes.
While most ants likely arrive in Europe through plant imports, the hobby market poses risks as well, as colonies might be released into the wild, despite owners' awareness of these concerns.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
