Messor arenarius
| Latin Name: |  |
Messor arenarius |
| Trivialname: |  |
Dune harvester ant |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Myrmicinae Tribe: Pheidolini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(1) easy to keep african species with higher demands on climate and nutrition |
| Distribution: |  |
North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt), Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Israel) |
| Habitat: |  |
Arid areas such as semi-deserts and deserts |
| Colonyform: |  |
monogynous (one queen per colony) |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 18-23 mm Color: shiny black |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 5-18 mm (polymorphic) Color: shiny black |
| Soldier: |  |
Not present; but larger major workers defending the colony |
| Males: |  |
Größe: 7 - 8mm Farbe: schwarz |
| Nutrition |  |
Seeds of various grasses and wild plants but also insects such as flies, mosquitoes or small crickets |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 30 - 50% Nestpart: 50 - 70% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 25 - 30°C Nestpart: 22 - 28°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
varies according to origin; populations from North Africa do not require hibernation, while those from colder regions hibernate at around 15 °C from November to February. |
| Nestform: |  |
Underground nests in sandy soils |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
two ant farms M-L, acrylic, cork, plaster and aerated concrete nests |
| Formicaria size: |  |
Size: M - L |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: Digfix, Terra nidum, Sand-Loam Arena: Sand, Sand-Loam |
| Planting: |  |
Adapted desert and steppe plants |
| Decoration: |  |
Branches, stones, pieces of cork |
| Description: |  |
Messor arenarius is a large harvester ant species known for its impressive size and polymorphic caste system. They collect seeds and store them in special chambers to make ant bread. In addition to seeds, they also feed on insects. Their nests are typically found in sandy soils of arid areas. |
| Development: |  |
matingflight: Specific data are not extensively documented. In general, Messor species swarm in the warmer months. founding: Claustral (the queen founds without feeding) colonysize: Data vary; some sources report colonies with up to 5,000 workers. |
| Quantity: |  |
a mated queen and workers (see selection); brood (varies according to season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Reference |
