A nest of England's rarest ant species has been stolen, a conservation charity has said.
The nest of Narrow-headed ants was removed from Chudleigh Knighton Heath nature reserve in south Devon.
Devon Wildlife Trust said the theft was discovered in mid-October when researchers found a hollow where a known nest had been.
It is believed that the thieves used a spade to dig the nest out and take it away.
Narrow-headed ants are listed on the IUCN red list as nationally rare and near threatened with extinction.
A single nest can hold a colony of between 1,000 and 5,000 ants, along with one or more breeding queens, which can live for up to 25 years.
The nature reserve is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest and removing any material from it is against the law.
Julia Balfour, the trust's species recovery officer, said: 'This is a crime every bit as serious as illegal raids on wild bird eggs.'
Narrow-headed ants are named on the ICUN red list as nationally rare and near threatened with extinction.
The reserve is the last stronghold for the species in England.
Just a small number of colonies exist in Scotland, including on the Royal Family's Balmoral Estate.
The species, which is named after the distinctive 'pinched' look to their heads, was once much more widespread but has seen its numbers dwindle over the past 100 years.
Particularly as their favoured heathland homes have been lost to building development and agricultural change.
Ms Balfour added: 'The removal of an established nest is a significant loss for this species.
'Narrow-headed Ant colonies develop slowly, and each mature nest, with its long-lived queens, represents many years of growth that cannot quickly be replaced.
'Our most recent survey recorded 142 active nests on the nature reserve, so every nest matters.
'This is the last population of Narrow-headed Ants in England, and losing even one colony sets back years of careful work by our staff, volunteers and partners.
'This incident makes us even more determined to ensure that our work to secure their future is a success.'
The theft has been reported to Devon and Cornwall Police and the Trust is asking anyone who might have information about the incident to come forward.
Steve Hussey at Devon Wildlife Trust said: 'We're unsure why anyone would take a Narrow-headed ant nest from our nature reserve.
'It may be that the nest was taken for someone's collection or perhaps in a misguided attempt to reintroduce the species at another site.
'Whatever their motive, this was a reckless act and places more pressure on an already rare and endangered species.
'People removing wildlife from our nature reserves is, sadly, far from an unusual occurrence.
'But in most cases it is the removal of bird eggs or nestlings or the taking of rare fungi which we see.
'This is the first time we've experienced the loss of an ant nest.'
The scene of the theft at Chudleigh Knighton Heath nature reserve where a nest of Narrow-headed Ants was removed
Conservation efforts have been stepped up locally to try and protect the future of the ants.
A collaboration between Devon Wildlife Trust and Buglife began in the summer after support was received from the UK Government as part of the 'Wild Again: Restoring England's Wildlife' initiative.
Laura Krusin, Buglife conservation officer, said: 'Narrow-headed Ants are an extremely rare species, only known from one site in Devon and a handful of sites in Scotland.
'Therefore, removal of any nests, can have a catastrophic impact on the population, putting even more pressure on an already threatened species.
'Not only are the ants incredibly special, but Chudleigh Knighton Heath itself is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, for the ants and the other species it supports.
'Any damage to the site or removal of material is criminal and should be treated as a serious offence.
'The destruction to this wonderful site and the removal of the Narrow-headed Ants that call it home is heartbreaking and highlights the threats still impacting these rare invertebrates!'
PC Lucy Wyatt, from the rural affairs team at Devon & Cornwall Police, said: 'Sites of Special Scientific Interest are legally protected and it is a criminal offence for any person to intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy, or disturb the protected area.
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