• Thousands of giant ant queens seized, prepared for international smuggling
• Experts warn of the environmental impact of illegal trade

The agricultural town of Gilgil in Kenya has emerged as a hub for an illegal trade in giant African ant queens, which are sold on the global black market for up to $220 per queen.

The ants appear during the rainy season, when fertilized queens disperse after mating, making them easy targets for traffickers supplying hobbyists who keep ants in transparent enclosures around the world.

A single queen can establish an entire colony and live for decades, making it highly desirable among international collectors.

Kenyan authorities revealed last year that around 5,000 ant queens were seized in Naivasha, where they were being prepared for shipment to Europe and Asia.

Since then, several individuals from Belgium, Vietnam, and Kenya have been arrested and fined or jailed on charges of biopiracy.

Researchers have warned that the continued trade poses serious risks to local ecosystems, noting that the random removal of queens can lead to colony collapse and disrupt the ants’ role in seed dispersal and maintaining healthy grasslands.

Although ants can be collected legally with special permits and benefit-sharing agreements with local communities, most of the current trade remains unregulated. Experts are calling for international protection for all ant species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Some experts also say ants could become a sustainable economic resource if bred and managed legally, though debate over the environmental risks remains ongoing.