Last year Kenya Wildlife Service warned of a growing demand for garden ants in Europe and Asia, where some people view them as exotic pets. An attempt to smuggle over 2,000 garden ants out of the country’s main international airport made the news in 2026. Echoing this, in 2025, four men were sentenced for attempting to smuggle more than 5,000 ants out of the country.
The defendants in the 2025 case pleaded guilty to the illegal possession and trafficking of live wildlife species, an offence under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (2013). They got a choice of paying a fine of US$7,700 or serving 12 months in prison.
Globally, although wildlife trafficking is mostly associated with larger animals such as elephants, rhino and tigers, a broad array of species are traded. The illicit trade in invertebrates is one part of this, including insects, other arthropods such as spiders and scorpions, and myriapods, for example centipedes.
The scale of the illegal trade is difficult to calculate due to limited wildlife crime statistics globally, enforcement challenges and the often hidden nature of wildlife trafficking as a whole. Some estimates have placed the legal market for insect consumption specifically at around US$17.9 billion by 2033. This offers some indication of the popularity of insects.
For me as an academic in wildlife crime, the Kenyan seizures help to demonstrate not only the existing demand for these species but also the similarities these markets share with broader wildlife trafficking networks, including their enforcement challenge.
The global scope of the challenge
There is limited data on the global problem. But existing seizure records highlight dynamics within insect-trafficking markets. These encompass a wide range of species, trends and motivations.
While insects are traded legally for reasons such as research, pet markets or human consumption, these patterns are often mirrored in illicit trade. One prominent driver is the exotic pet market.
The seized Kenyan ants were reportedly intended for sale as pets. Similar motivations have been noted with other trafficked insects, such as the demand for rhino beetles in Japan and praying mantises in Italy.
More broadly, the exotic pet trade has consistently been recognised as a key driver of wildlife trafficking. Reptiles and birds are key targets. There are parallels between insect trafficking and wildlife trafficking more generally.
Alongside the demand in species, the smuggling techniques used in insect trafficking reflect methods seen in other wildlife trafficking markets.
One case involved a trafficker attempting to smuggle centipedes, bullet ants and tarantulas out of Peru in plastic bags strapped around his body. In another instance praying mantis eggs were disguised as children’s toys and rhino beetles as snacks. These methods echo wider cases of wildlife being concealed using novel and diverse approaches.
Alongside this, several cases involve insects being trafficked in large quantities. This technique has been used with small fauna such as birds and reptiles, where smugglers transport high numbers with the expectation that some will die but profits can still be made from the survivors.
Enforcement authorities face the complication that a legal market exists for certain species. This can potentially allow traffickers to launder protected species alongside legal ones, a technique that parallels other wildlife trafficking markets. This further complicates enforcement with relevant authorities needing to have awareness of species specific policies and training around species identification.
Protection for insects
Globally the protection of insect species varies. Whereas most jurisdictions have legislation which protects wildlife, the trade and level of protection is often shaped by their conservation status – the risk of extinction for the species. This is similarly observed in how the trade in wildlife is regulated. Levels of criminalisation for wildlife trafficking often vary based on the species, attitudes towards them and country legalisation.
Research has pointed to one challenge in relation to insects being the potential lack of clarity regarding international regulations governing their trade. There are also uncertainties about the legal requirements for transporting and selling insects.
Informing national policies, the international trade in fauna and flora is regulated by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which has 185 signatory countries. CITES classifies international trade under three categories:
Appendix I all but bans the trade outside exceptional circumstances
Appendix II means regulated trade can take place
Appendix III relates to species not currently recognised as being threatened by trade but for which some countries have regulations in place.
However, research shows that enforcing wildlife protections presents an array of challenges. Studies indicate that CITES and related enforcement efforts are not fully effective. Furthermore, wildlife crime is not always seen as an enforcement priority or given the resources it needs. This may hinder efforts to protect insects from trafficking.
Overall, these high profile cases and continued media discussion can help to recognise insects as victims of wildlife trafficking. This has the potential to build public support for underrepresented wildlife crime issues and encourage the development of further measures to reduce species harm.
Elliot Doornbos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
