Messor structor Ants

Harvester ants are ideal for beginners. They are undemanding, peaceful, and do not require a hibernation period.

General Information

Latin name: Messor structor. They are also known as harvester ants. The name "harvester" comes from their habit of collecting grains from the ground.

Caste System and Ant Size

Harvester ants exhibit pronounced polymorphism, meaning they have a caste system. Ants differ in size, and each caste has its own responsibilities. A colony consists of worker ants, soldiers, and other intermediate forms.

The queen is the largest ant, measuring 11-12 mm.

Workers: 3-5 mm

Soldiers: 5-9 mm

Soldiers have a large head due to their well-developed neck muscles, which give them powerful mandibles.

Colony Type

Messor structor colonies are monogynous, meaning that there is only one egg-laying queen in the colony.

Feeding

Feeding Messor structor ants is very simple, which is another reason why they are an excellent choice.

Harvester ants are granivorous, meaning their main food source is seeds. They grind the collected seeds, feed on them themselves, and also feed them to the larvae.

They eat seeds such as millet, poppy, clover, amaranth, mustard, and many others.

The ants also readily eat protein food, which helps them develop faster and more properly.

Humidity and Temperature

Since harvester ants are mainly found in steppes, they do not require excessive humidity.

Arena humidity: approximately 30-50%

Nest humidity: approximately 70%

The temperature in the arena should be between 20°C and 30°C, and in the nest between 21°C and 26°C.

Under these conditions, the ant colony will develop quickly and properly.