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Messor Aciculatus - Harvester

Messor Aciculatus - Beginner Species - Small to Medium in Size

Monogyne or Polygyne - Can be a single queen or multiple queens

 

As the Messor Barbarus is common the Europe, the Aciculatus is one of the most frequently met species in Japan. The Japaneese Harvester ant is slightly smaller then their EU cousins and typically coloured all black which has a glossy finish with Tiny beige hairs on their body.

 

As with other Messors they Harvest seeds which are eaten by the ants, using the large Majors jaws to de-shell them they are chewed into a protein rich food source known as "ant-bread". It is this these ants get 90% of their nutrients from. In the wild they build their nests under stones and vegetation. For small ants they build impressive nests up to 4 meters below the surface.

 

Colony Size

Excess of 10,000 workers

VERY TIMID and cautious until 30 to 50 workers.

Queen Age

Up to 25 years

Temperature

Heated 18 to 26 degrees

Hibernation

Yes - November to Feb

Polymorphic (Different size casts)

Yes

Sting

No

Bite

Yes

Diet

Seeds, Nuts, Grains, Occasional extra protein. If they are excepting honey it is a sign they are dehydrated or there is a lack of water.

Nest Type

Natural, Acrylic, Sand, Earth, Glass.

Size

Queen - 10mm

Worker - 3mm-5mm

Polymorphic - Yes

Development

Egg to Adult Worker - 8 to 10 weeks

Special Note

Messor Aciculatus are prone to drowning, always use cotton with water.

Messor Aciculatus - Harvester

PriceFrom £11.99
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  • It is illegal to release this colony into the wild in the UK, if you can no longer care for your colony please contact us immediately.

  • we know sometimes you will need to change the test tube or get a closer look, so we provide you with these items to help you if you need them;

    • 1 x Test Tube
    • 1 x Organic Bamboo Cotton Wool Bud
    • 1 x Organic Cotton Wool Ball
    • 1 x Magnification Card (3x Magnification)
    • 1 x Mini bag of Organic Chia seeds
    • 1 x Species info sheet (so you have it to keep if we ever remove the species from our site when out of stock)

Accessories & Decoration