Messor barbarus 10+

Species

The Messor barbarus ant, also called the harvest ant, because they are seed collecters. These seeds they chew fine and mingle them with moisture. This is so called ant bread. Our ant colonies consist of a queen with brood and several workers. This number depends on the number of eggs that developed into ant (egg-larva-pupa-ant). This colony has been at least 10 workers big and the workers are thus breeded by the queen ant herself.

Suitable

The ant colony is intended for the ant farms of acrylic, gypsum and sand. We also recommend the use of an arena. The ants there can get their nourishment and bring their waste. Many products have integrated an arena.

Packing and Shipping

In the picture you can see how the product actually is supplied by us. The colony is in a test tube with a cotton behind the water supply in order to keep the tube nest partially damp. The colony can be up to a few weeks without treatment in this tube (after receipt). As long as we give warranty for the life of the queen. Does the queen not survive transport or dies within a few dayes (max 2 weeks), we will provide a replacement colony.

Specifications and information

Scientific name	Messor barbarus
Also called	The harvest ant
Difficulty Class	1. beginner
Queen | Gyne:	14-18 mm
Workers:	3-14 mm The bigger the colony, the larger the ants that come in Mediors and Majors (soldiers).
Type colony:	Monogyn, one queen per nest.
Type of litter:	Sand Nests, relatively deep. Very broad, often under grass.
Temperature:	Room temperature, 15-30 degrees
hibernation:	No, but a bit cooler. Our advice: slightly cooler Keep in winter around 15 degrees. For example, in the cellar, cooler attic or barn. November-February Our experience: even in winter on room temperature keeps this ant colonies develop well.
Feeding supply:	Sugar or honey water and small insects: Our advice for smaller colonies: fruit flies. Main power: various seeds (grass seed, bird seed, dandelion seeds etc ...)
Humidity:	Simple. Opinion: Part nest holding something moist This kind of love dryer for example Lasius niger and Myrmica rubra.
distribution:	(South) and Europe (North) Africa
Opinion Ant Farm:	Acrylic, gypsum or sand, including the use of an Arena Area
Comments:	- Messor barbarus is a common ant species in Southern Europe. You can find them there in gardens, parks and forest areas. With patience you can put them in an ant farm good rear and observe. They are particularly interesting because of their food (seeds). They have space needed to store the seeds and use thereby they soon need more nesting space compared to other ant species. - Also come in larger mediors and Majors colonies. Larger ants that protect have the job of a 'soldier ant'. - Messor colonies develop faster than the average Most species from Western Europe. In the Ant Farms grow them out into colonies of hundreds or a few thousand ants. Do you want it bigger, then of course you can always connect extra Stays. - Messor barbarus is our favorite ant species ;-)