Messor barbarus – Colony with Queen and Workers

Description

Fourmiculture Charter for our Messor barbarus ants:
1. Establishment approved by the Veterinary Services and the Prefecture, in possession of the certificate of competence for the sale of ants (Decision No. 2016195-0002 from the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations)
2. Free Guide to the Perfect Ant Keeper and health record provided,
3. Ants guaranteed free of mites and parasites,
4. Health demonstrated by the queen laying eggs and the presence of brood upon shipment,
5. No "boost" (addition of brood or external workers to sell colonies faster),
6. Guaranteed delivery in good health: partial refund in case of worker loss, full refund in case of queen loss (if delivered within 48 hours),
7. Shipping possible from -12°C to +40°C thanks to our optional insulated packaging,
8. Species present in France, non-invasive and not threatened.

Red Selection -> For a queen from a particularly colourful selection with a redder head, click HERE .

Description of the Messor barbarus species:

Particularly easy to feed and raise, Messor barbarus require little care and the size of the queen is impressive: up to 14mm for the queen, as are the larger workers which are born gradually as the colony grows.

The simultaneous presence of several sizes, from 4 to 14 mm, makes Messor barbarus unique. The largest workers have a massive, red head with powerful musculature that allows them to carry and grind even the hardest seeds; these are called major workers.

The queen is black with a dark or slightly red head. Red Selection colonies are available with queens that have particularly colorful heads.

Choosing a small colony (fewer than 20 workers) allows you to start right away, though it requires a little more patience. Messor barbarus colonies with around 50 workers generally produce the first media workers (larger and more colorful), while colonies of 100 workers or more usually begin to produce the first majors.

Growing easily at 27°C most of the time, the only constraint is to keep Messor barbarus cool with humidity and food for a month and a half in winter to ensure resumption of development in spring.

Feeding primarily on seeds that the worker ants store in dry chambers, Messor barbarus (and other Messor species) can live off their reserves for months without any problems. This greatly simplifies their rearing. Observations are still frequent, and you can watch the ants prepare a paste from the seeds to eat three days later.

Messor barbarus is a species very well suited to breeding and observation for beginners as well as for great enthusiasts who will obtain impressive colonies after a few years while ensuring a minimum of management.

We carefully raise Messor barbarus ants in our "lab" from a single queen, collected during swarming, respecting biodiversity. After several months, once the colony is well established and in excellent health thanks to our optimal breeding conditions, we allow you to purchase these ants right here. We particularly recommend them to beginners for their ease of care, but more experienced beekeepers often return to this species because of its varied and interesting behavior. Among the 200 species found in France, Messor ants are among the most suitable for keeping.

The delivery of healthy ants is guaranteed by courier within 48 hours and for 3 days following delivery. We have developed special packaging for the safe (and environmentally friendly) transport of the ants to your home.

Breeding sheet on Messor barbarus:

– Recommended rearing temperature: 24 to 28°C during the day and 19 to 25°C at night for optimal development.
– Hibernation (Winter rest): 45 days recommended each winter at a temperature above 10°C and below 18°C. Ideal: 12°C.
– Humidity: Relatively low but constant, and high in a small area. All our ant farms are designed for this species.
– Waterer: Recommended in the feeding area (special waterer, water droplets, or damp cotton) but optional if the nest humidity is adequate.
– Light: Never direct sunlight. Avoid strong light and artificial light bulbs. Suitable heating for Messor barbarus is a ceramic heat emitter or a heat mat.
– Queen size: 12-14 mm
– Worker size: 4 to 14 mm
– Color: Black; large workers and the queen have reddish heads.
– Castes: Presence of small workers (minors), large workers with developed, colorful heads and powerful mandibles (majors), as well as a whole range of intermediate sizes (medias).
– Estimated development rate: A few dozen workers the first year, up to a few hundred the following year (depending on conditions).
– Habitat type for rearing: Any type of artificial ant farm with a mineral layer and fairly high chambers, like all ant Fourmiculture .

Did you know that, to summarize:

– The lifespan of the queen, and therefore the colony, reaches 15 years
– You only need to feed your ants once a month because they store the seeds they eat
– The queen lays eggs that become larvae, then pupae, and finally adults in just 30 days
– Messor ants are capable of hunting and consuming insects much larger than themselves
– Ants are fascinating creatures to observe, and more and more individuals and schools are discovering them!

Behavior of Messor barbarus:

As the colony grows, increasingly larger worker ants appear and help to grind hard seeds. Development accelerates sharply from the second year onward, quickly leading to very active and large colonies. The queen ant regularly lays clusters of eggs that will hatch into small larvae. After several molts, these will become pupae (almost adult, white ants) which will then complete their transformation into adults. The entire cycle takes about a month, longer if the temperature is low.
The entire colony feeds on seeds. The workers will hull and chew the seeds for about three days to make an edible paste often called "ant bread."

The ants will live in the humid part of the anthill while the seeds will be stored in the dry area to prevent them from germinating.

Buy ants?

Buying ants is accessible to everyone, requires no administrative formalities, and poses no risk to human health. Ant keeping is a rapidly growing hobby. Our clients include curious individuals, adults and children, schools, zoos, and more. Buying and raising ants is made easier with a high-quality artificial ant farm.

Purchasing Messor barbarus ants is possible worldwide; we ship with insurance included. This species does not pose a threat to biodiversity.

This species, or any colony with a queen, is incompatible with frost-free ant farms!

Cover photo: GMX (gallery)