Messor aciculatus

These ants are granivores, meaning that the main part of their diet consists of seeds. They chew these seeds and mix it with moisture in order to make a kind of paste-like substance that people often refer to as ‘ant bread’. They get most of their required nutrients from their seeds, but because their seeds don’t contain enough protein it is recommended to give them feeder insects regularly to make up for that. A fresh water source is also highly recommended. Nevertheless, this asian species of the Messor genus is easy to keep, they grow pretty fast and they can be kept at room temperature so you won’t need to purchase any addition heating devices.

Size & colony type
Queen: aprox. 10mm
Workers: aprox. 4mm – 5mm
Soldiers: n/a
Colony type: polygyne
Colony size: about 7,000 – 9,000 workers per colony
Keeping difficulty: Easy.

Habitat
Distribution: China, Japan, Korea, Russia
Habitat: often found in grasslands
Natural nest: they often build their nests underground and under rocks
Suitable formicaria: Ytong-, plaster-, 3D- and acrylicnests are all suitable for this species
Recommended humidity: 50% – 70%
Recommended temperature: 22°C – 28°C
Nutrition: Mainly grass seeds and sometimes a protein source such as prey insects like crickets or fruitflies. Insect jelly is also a suitable feeder since it contains both sugar and protein and varius other beneficial components

Misc
Hibernation: yes, from the end of october till the end of march
Claustral: yes, no need to feed until the first workers arrive
Matingflight period: june – july
Egg to worker: 7 to 9 weeks depending on how they are being kept