ANTSTORE World of Ants

[bigbibble]

Hi all,
I have been thinking about getting messor barbarus for about a year now and I am probly going to order a colony on saturday (Pictures will be suplied!). First though I need some tips:
I have a 40x30x20 container to use I was wondering If anyone had any ideas on a good way to set this container up so that I can keep these in here. Also do I have to hibanate them! also any other knowledge you have would be apresiated.
Thanks for your replys!!!

[Purifier]

A container? What do you mean? Its better you use a basin for the ants
Yeah they have to hibernate right now. Keep that in mind when you order them! You get them and have to lay them into the fridge or cellar.

[Sphecomyrmex]

Messor barbarus are proper in plaster nest. They are big ants, then the plaster nest should have large tunnel and rooms.

[JimmyVe]

There is already much information about this species on the forum, read around a bit. If you still have questions, just ask.

What i can say (and i sad it before) these ants are stress sensitive (especially the queen) so don't bother them to much. Give them seeds and insects and fresh water, they are not fund of honey ore sugar/water. They need hibernation for about 2-4 months.

[bigbibble]

thanks for the replies, due to the hibernation I may not get these. Are their any other easy ants that I could get that dont require hibernation?

[ant dude]

u might aswell get these ants, remeber hibernation dont last forever so u can soon buy them u just have to wait a bit is all.and they might already be in hibernation cos i think 'antstore' hibernate there ants. and even if u order them an they are not in hibernation, just for this year u could not hibernate them and hibernate then the year after or somthink.............even though this does apparently lessons the queen's life expectency but......................
the only ants i know about that dont have hibernation is exotics!!! but i think personally u should wait a bit as u need to have good/long anouth expirence with these 'exotics'.........so just wait its not that bad, dont be put off though Messor barbarus seem like a good species to keep/ look like nice aswell

=> edit Mod
Correction name.

[JimmyVe]

Well i must agree with ant dude, the only ants that do not hibernate are exotic ants and to keep them you need a bit of experience, it always easier and better to start of with some European ants. Hibernation is not that bad, you can build new farms are look at a way to improve you old one, read about ants and learn about them... lots to do when they hibernate.

(btw: it is always better to hibernate ants if they do it in nature as well)

[SteveUK28]

<--agree with Jimmy and lilantdude.. I have a Messor Barbarus queen coming myself and she will be going striaght into hibernation along with all the other new queens ive got in the last few weeks. TBH im looking forward to the big boom in spring when they start laying eggs like mad.. its gonna be well kewl.. Also i now have a good 4 ytong blocks to carve.. and setup.. also need to find a few basins and everything im gonna put in them.. so you will def have your hands full. Even tho they hibernate there is still things that have to be done.. ants r by no means something that u can get then just sit n watch.. even with easy euro ants work has to be done.. and as for exotic well just forget it untill u have a min of a years experience