In This Nation, Each Ant Is Worth Hundreds of Dollars

In Kenya's Rift Valley, a sleepy farm town has become an unlikely node in the global wildlife black market—thanks to red queen ants that can sell for about $220 apiece. The BBC reports that Gilgil is now a collection hub for giant African harvester ant queens, whose long lifespans and colony-building prowess have made them a coveted species in the booming hobby of ant-keeping. One fertilized queen can found a colony and live on for decades, and the insects are easily slipped through airport scanners in test tubes padded with cotton. A 2025 bust turned up 5,000 queens in a Naivasha guesthouse; another this month intercepted 2,000 queens at Nairobi's main airport. It's often a dangerous journey for the little critters, with many dying in transit from disease, cold temps, and bacteria, Reuters reported last year.

Collectors aren't the only ones interested in the ants: The South China Morning Post notes that traditional-medicine practitioners also use the ants, specifically for rheumatism. Scientists warn the stakes go beyond smuggling. Researchers say that exporting these "keystone" seed-harvesters could damage Kenyan grasslands, while their spread abroad risks invasive colonies that might threaten crops in places like southern China. Yet Kenya is also weighing how to legalize and profit from ant farming under new "wildlife economy" guidelines. Meanwhile, the importance of the ants to Kenya's ecosystem and biodiversity can't be understated. "If we were to lose all the elephants in Africa, we would be devastated, but the grassland would continue," entomologist Dino Martins told Reuters. "If we were to lose all the harvester ants and termites, the savannah would collapse." More here.