We protect even the smallest creatures
Formica polyctena, a species of European red wood ant, is on the IUCN's (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list of endangered species in Germany, so we bring its anthills to safety whenever we encounter them during construction work. We have relocated two such nests from the site of Karower Kreuz station in northern Berlin, for example. First, we pack an anthill into a large paper sack and move it to its new site. Placing it on the ground, we spread a circle of sugar around the nest.