Messor minor – Queenless worker bees

Description

The Fourmiculture Charter for our Ants:

– Raised by a specialist under optimal conditions, guaranteed parasite-free,
– Health demonstrated by the queen laying and the presence of brood upon shipment,
– No "boost" (addition of brood or external workers to sell colonies faster),
– Guaranteed healthy delivery: partial refund in case of worker loss, full refund in case of queen loss (if delivered within 48 hours),
– Shipped year-round, from -12°C to +40°C thanks to our free insulated packaging,
– Supplied with a care sheet and a health record,
– Species present in France, non-invasive and not endangered,
– Colony buyback and costs covered if you wish to sell (see conditions)
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This colony does not have a queen. The lifespan of the worker bees ranges from a few days to about a year, depending on their age.

Activity will be limited and no further development will be possible.
This allows you to test an ant colony or conduct a short- or medium-term experiment.
For more worker ants, take several colonies and combine them in tubes of 50 to 100 workers.

Introducing our new flagship species! Messor barbarus is captivating and easy to keep. Messor minor is even more so!
Keeping ants will provide you with hours of fascinating observations; discover the incredible behavior of this exciting social insect! We deliver our colonies with a complete information sheet detailing their needs and lifestyle so you know everything there is to know.

We deliver colonies in excellent health, and shipping by mail poses no problem for this easy-to-raise insect. Discover our guarantees by clicking here!
Note: This species is incompatible with frozen ant farms!

Why buy a species that you will eventually get tired of or that you will no longer be able to take care of?

Indeed, Messor minor is a beautifully coloured species that feeds simply on seeds, hence its ease of breeding, but its development is particularly rapid and above all, it does not need to overwinter, which represents one serious constraint less!

No need to search for overpriced exotic ants, we have chosen the best French species for you!

Keeping Messor minor in a warm environment year-round will not harm its development or health; quite the opposite! You will notice the queen's constant activity and ever-increasing egg-laying. She may even develop a fairly pronounced physogastry (abdominal swelling) after about a year of rearing, a sign that egg-laying is accelerating even further.

It's worth remembering that ants adapt their population to the available space. If you don't want your Messor minor to take up too much room, simply keep them in an ant farm of the desired size.

This is the ideal species for beginners, but experienced enthusiasts will find in Messor minor all the qualities they could be looking for, including the presence of majors (large workers).

Furthermore, we believe that it can be polygynous in some colonies (possible cohabitation of several queens).

Messor minor is black with a dark red head and thorax, regardless of the size of the workers, unlike Messor barbarus, of which only the largest workers are colored.

– This species is easy to breed, harmless to humans and the environment, and non-invasive. Queens are harvested with respect for nature reserves and local resources.
– It is neither protected nor threatened with extinction.
– It is present in France, mainly in Corsica but also on the mainland.

When keeping them, simply maintain the water reservoir in the artificial ant farm and ensure they always have seeds to eat. Also, remember to keep the feeding area clean. It's also important to provide Messor minor with a special water dispenser or to place drops of water on a waterproof surface in the feeding area.
A heating mat will be sufficient to maintain your Messor minor at the right temperature.
It couldn't be simpler!

Breeding conditions and information on Messor minor:

– Recommended daytime temperature: 26 to 29°C year-round. A basking spot at 30°C and a cooler area is ideal.
– Recommended nighttime temperature: 22 to 24°C, possibly lower.
– Humidity: Similar to Messor barbarus but more tolerant; adapts to all our Artificial Ant Farm models.
– Presence of minors, medias, and majors (small, medium, and large workers that appear over time).
– Water source: Important in the feeding area (special water source or water drops delivered with a syringe).
– Light: Very tolerant; does not mind light but should never be exposed to direct sunlight.
– Estimated growth rate: Up to 3,000 workers in the first year.
– Worker size: 3 to 11 mm
– Queen size: approximately 13 mm
– Danger level: None, they do not sting, are not aggressive, and are not invasive. However, it remains essential never to release a colony into the wild.
– Habitat type: Any artificial ant farm available on our website equipped with chambers containing a mineral layer.

Did you know that, in summary:
– The queen, and therefore the Messor minor colony, can live up to fifteen years,
– You only need to feed your Messor minor 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,
– With Messor minor, it is relatively easy to breed them in captivity to replace an old queen or try to create a colony with several queens
, – Messor minor are not aggressive, but you can offer them other types of food: insects, biscuit crumbs, etc.
– The colony is supplied in a tube, allowing you to raise it for a short time before installing it in one of our Artificial Ant Farms.
– Delivery of a healthy queen is guaranteed.
– Weekend shipping may be postponed to Monday for the ants' comfort, especially in case of critical temperatures.

Don't hesitate to buy ants!