Messor barbarus

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 and moisture it is recommended to give them feeder insects regularly to make up for that. A fresh water source is also highly recommended. This European species of the Messor genus is easy to keep, so easy that they are often recomended as a species for new antkeepers. We from Mierwinkel strongly advise against getting these ants if the new antkeeper is a young child. While they are easy to keep, they are also very sensitive to vibration, sudden changes in lighting and even visible movement can upset them. It is quite possible for the queen to die if she is stressed for too long and/or too often.

Size & colony type
Queen: aprox. 15mm – 18mm
Workers: aprox. 3mm – 14mm
Soldiers: n/a
Colony type: monogyne
Colony size: about 8,000 – 10,000 workers per colony
Keeping difficulty: Easy.

Habitat
Distribution: Southern Europe
Habitat: often found in sandy area’s
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: 21°C – 26°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 february
Claustral: yes, no need to feed until the first workers arrive
Matingflight period: april – june
Egg to worker: 7 to 9 weeks depending on how they are being kept