As of: February 19, 2024, 1:23 p.m
By: Nathalie Schelle
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Christian Keller is an ant keeper in the Landsberg district.
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District - In addition to four beaver advisors, the Landsberg district also has two mussel advisors, two specialist advisors for bat protection and two helpers who are responsible for wasp and hornet advice.
These experts are intended to make an important contribution to the protection of the local flora and fauna and have recently received support for another animal: Christian Keller was appointed volunteer ant keeper for the district's lower nature conservation authority.
The 35-year-old Untermeitinger explains in an interview what his first contact with ants was like, why he finds them so fascinating and what he plans to do in the district forests.
Mr. Keller, what was your first contact with an ant?
Keller:
“As a child, I shoveled part of an ant colony into the trailer of my children's tractor.
I wanted to keep them in the garage as pets.
Unfortunately, they didn't respect the boundaries I had set out at all and were then out and about everywhere, even in the family car.
I’m sure you can imagine how pleased my parents were.”
What fascinates you about animals?
Keller:
“Ants build complex nest structures with heat storage, rain protection, and ventilation.
They look after lice in a similar way to livestock or hunt tactically.
There are species of ants that attack and rob other colonies, that sneak in quietly and stealthily, or that nest in other people's homes as quiet, tolerated tenants.
Ants communicate with each other through scents and physical contact, which is how the infamous ant trails are formed.
Quite a few animal and plant species depend on ants for their survival.
And as a source of food, many animals benefit from stable ant populations.
In this country, ants can turn over around 13 tons of soil per year and hectare, which is essential for soil aeration.
They therefore play an important part in the ecosystem.
Without ants, nature would look significantly different.”
And why did you become an ant hunter?
Keller:
“If you ask people what their favorite animal is, they usually come up with a cuddly animal.
For me it's just ants.
Ultimately, over 25 years of working with these animals led me to want to support their preservation.
We have been observing a dramatic decline in ants for many years.”
How did your training to become an ant hunter go?
Keller:
“The training by the Bavarian Ant Protection Observatory started for me in March 2021. You receive the necessary specialist knowledge from very experienced members.
This will then be tested in an exam and supported in a practical manner.
Content includes, for example, the biology and ecology of ants and important legal regulations.
And of course the special protection and care measures, including rescue relocations of entire colonies.
At the end there is the breeding certificate.”
How did you get from the Augsburg district to the Landsberg district?
Keller:
“I am a volunteer ant keeper and hornet consultant appointed by the Lower Nature Conservation Authority (UNB) in the Augsburg district.
Since I live directly on the southern border of the district, a “border change” to Landsberg is normal for my voluntary work.
After a measure by the ant control station in Kaufering, the UNB in Landsberg came to me again and appointed me as an ant keeper.
This means the authority has a contact person and someone they can use in the field.”
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What are your plans here in this area?
Keller:
“If necessary, we advise the population, authorities or companies on issues relating to ants, especially the specially protected wood ants.
Sometimes we only come into action after the child has already fallen into the well.
Even protected ants are often overlooked or even deliberately ignored during construction work.
If possible, we preserve the nest locations.
We try to enable coexistence or simply secure nests.
Relocations (see information box) are only the last option.
Creating an understanding of nature conservation activities is important to me.”
Relocation of ant colonies
Ant nests are relocated by hand.
The ant keeper collects the workers, as many queens as possible, brood and loose nest material in containers.
The nest material is piled up again at the new location, which may have to be repeated for several weeks in order to save as many animals and brood as possible.
The ants get a jump-start in the form of bee food dough and sugar.
It is only after months that the new nests are almost perfect again and the new territory is occupied.
Since the further development of the colony must be ensured, especially until winter, the measures are only carried out in spring, or until late summer in an emergency.