Messor Babarus

Messor Barbarus is a very popular ant species.
This species, native to the Mediterranean region, meets part of its moisture needs with grains and insects. They produce ant bread, which serves as the staple food for their brood, and this also requires water. The workers are diurnal. The arena requires no special substrate; a mixture of sand and clay is sufficient.
Their size varies from minor (approx. 5mm), media (approx. 8mm) and major (approx. +10mm).

husbandry information
- Latin name = Messor Barbaus
- Origin = Southern Europe, North Africa, Province of Málaga
- Colony form = monogynous
- Queen = shiny black, reddish brown head, grows to about 15mm
- Workers = shiny black-slightly reddish 3-15mm
- Soldiers = not available
- Food = grains, sugar-honey water, protein food insects (preferably dead) and jellies
- Arena = humidity at about 40-55% temperature about 21+ degrees
- Nest area = humidity 50-70% 24-27 degrees
- Hibernation = at about 15 degrees from November to February
- Substrate = sand-clay mixture is recommended
- Activity = Diurnal
- Behavior = moderately aggressive
- Development = egg to worker 3-5 weeks (temperature dependent)
- Colony size in keeping = approx. 5000 animals