Description

The second largest Messor species in the world! This is a claustral and monogynous (single-queen) tropical ant species native to North Africa and the Middle East. They dig their nests into the soil, create several larger chambers for themselves. They live in sandy, bushy areas and prefer a warm, sunny environment. Both the queen and the workers are black with silver hairs on their bodies, which are quite big. Due to their slow reproduction, they are recommended for experienced ant keepers!

Like other Messor species, this ant is also a seed collector (harvester ant). They store various seeds in their tunnels and consume them later. They tolerate dry conditions well, keep their environment clean, that makes them an ideal species for any type of ant farms. You can keep them in a relatively dry environment, with a few watering spots, to prevent the appearance of mites. Messors accumulate their wate, usually in the warmest and driest corner of the enclosure. This is a polymorphic species, they have three different sized worker castes (minor, media, major). Major workers are strong and resilient, they crush harder seeds, hunt for prey. Minor workers are smaller, assist in raising offspring and do other tasks around the nest. Their stingers are undeveloped and harmless to humans, they usually neutralize their prey with their strong mandibles. They are not particularly aggressive, but highly territorial. They do not tolerate any other insects in their territory. Keep them under stable lighting conditions, and protect them from vibrations, because they are sensitive to them, and cause them stress. They are always active in the formicarium, that makes them fascinating to observe. Their workers mainly forage at ground level. The queen’s expected lifespan can reach 20-25 years.

Food: Seeds (seed mix + oily seeds: walnut or peanut) and insects.

Reproduction: Due to their large size, they reproduce slowly, especially during colony founding. In the first year, they raise only 5-10 workers, but once the colony reaches 50 workers, their reproduction accelerates. In a mature colony consists of several thousand workers. Their brood develop without pupa, so the pupal form is white and ant-shaped.

Hibernation: From December to February at 15°C. More information about hibernation check this video.