Click to view full story of "Messor barbarus island."

Rudi: Messor barbarus island. (13. Mai 2018 17:10)

Would it be possible to keep an M. Barbarus colony on an island to prevent escaping?

I'm considering a 80x40x40cm terrarium with a canal/moat around it of 5cm wide and 5cm deep. With a small current provided by a pump.

This should (if they cant swim) keep them on their island. There would be a floater getting acros every now and then and some would drown.

Has anyone tried this before? Does it work?

trailandstreet: Re: Messor barbarus island. (13. Mai 2018 20:41)

To prevent them from escaping - Yes.
To prevent them from drowning - No.

Rudi: Re: Messor barbarus island. (14. Mai 2018 09:06)

If a few would drown every now and then i would considder that acceptable. Look at it as a form of population control.

It would be a problem if they would drown by the hundreds...

Would they 'learn' to stay away from the water after a while?

Sojave: Re: Messor barbarus island. (14. Mai 2018 11:52)

A lot of people experienced, that Messor barbarus and open water and even small water drink places is a bad combination. I think, that this species tends the most to drown in even the smallest water from all ants. They dont learn about that danger.

It would go far behind population control...

Rudi: Re: Messor barbarus island. (15. Mai 2018 07:49)

Is this true for all messor species?

Rudi: Re: Messor barbarus island. (16. Mai 2018 16:22)

I would prefer a harvester species that can be kept in this kind of setup.