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
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)
