The Messor Barbarus, also known as the harvester ants, is a common and easy-to-keep species for ant enthusiasts. These unique ants do not sting, but the major workers are so big they can bite you; it's more like tickling and not so painful, though, depending on your skin type.
Messor Barbarus are probably the most interesting ant species suitable for a beginner ant keeper, as the queen ant is way bigger, reaching 18 millimetres and is more interesting compared to other beginner-friendly ant species queens.
Colony Form
The workers are very polymorphic and are of three main sizes. From just 3mm to up to 15mm.
1. Small (minor: 3-7mm) workers - they usually care for the brood and the Queen ant's needs.
2. Normal-sized (media: 6-10mm) ones - care for the ants' bread-making and nest cleaning.
3. Majors (10-15mm)- protecting the colony's nest and the queen. Sometimes cooperate with the media workers regarding seed chewing.
Habitat requirements:
Air humidity:outworld: 40 - 50%; nest: 65 - 75%;
Temperature: outworld: overnight 18°C and maximum daily temperature 28°C.
In the nest area: 22°C - 26°C.
Colony Size
Their colonies can grow to about 10,000 workers and are a great choice for those looking to start their ant-keeping journey.
Lifespan
Messor queen ant's lifespan is up to 25 years. The workers will live up to 2 years and aid in the growth and success of your colony. The bigger the worker, the longer the lifespan.
Messor Barbarus feeding
Feed them into the outworld only! Harvester ant's main food is a seed mix.
How to feed them and how much?
So the golden rule is 1 seed per ant per month. Feed them every two weeks (half dosage, for instance: 30 ants = 15 seeds every two weeks).
The first feeding dose must be doubled. Keep an eye on their food storage so they have one nest’s chamber full of seeds all the time.
Suitable Ant Farm Kit
We recommend the small to medium ant farm for a small colony of the Messor ant species. The best options among our products are the A7 Plus, Antie or the A6 Ant Farm, where you can enjoy watching them harvesting in the outworld.
Harvester ants need a higher temperature for their proper brood development, so 25-26°C would be great. Temperatures above 28°C will endanger the queen ant!
Ants' Escape Prevention
Harvester ants are not the best climbers, but if you do not want to deal with escaped ants, which is a common issue while you feed them, apply about an inch wide of our PTFE Fluon.
Hibernation
To remain healthy, your queen and worker ants require proper hibernation during the winter months, but it's not a must during your ant colony's first year. The Messor Barbarus ants hibernate through the winter, starting at the end of November and waking up around late February/early March. To hibernate, the temperature of the nest needs to be reduced to around 15 degrees Celsius, which is not too cold for the ants to survive.
Find out more here: How to Keep Your Ants Safe During Hibernation: A Keeper's Essential Guide
You must read the care guide carefully:
Frequently Asked Questions About Messor Barbarus Care
Are Messor barbarus ants fast-growing?
Messor barbarus colonies are considered moderate to fast-growing compared to other ant species.
What is the best substrate for Messor barbarus?
The ideal substrate for Messor barbarus is a sand-loam-soil mix at a ratio of approximately 40:20:40. This substrate allows for tunnelling while providing enough stability to prevent collapse. For the outworld, clean ant sand or desert sand works well.
How long do Messor barbarus ants live?
Worker ants typically live 1-3 years, while Messor barbarus queens can live 15-25 years in ideal conditions.