The Messor minor hesperius is commonly found in Southern Europe and has specific dietary and climate requirements. The colony is monogynous, meaning it has a single queen. This species does not have soldier ants. Males are smaller in size and black in colour. They also consume insects along with seeds. The ants prefer a humidity level of 40-50% in the foraging area and 60-70% in the nesting area. The temperature range for the foraging area is 25-30°C, while the nesting area requires a temperature of 23-28°C. It would be best if you use a heat mat. They hibernate from the end of November until the end of February at a temperature of 15°C. This species is easy to care for and is found in Southern Europe. It has specific dietary and climate requirements.
Distribution: Southern Europe, North Africa
Habitat: Found in sandy areas with shrubs
Colony Structure: Monogynous (having a single queen per colony)
Queen size: 15 - 18mm Color: shiny reddish-black.Worker size: 3 - 14mm Color: shiny reddish black, varying sizes
Soldier: No
Hibernation: Yes, from November until February at a temperature of 15°C
Formicaria Size: Medium to Large
Planting: Similar to Savannah areas with grass and other plants
Decoration: pebbles, twigs, tree needles etc.Nutrition: Primarily feeds on seeds from various plants, including grass, but also consumes insects
Feeding: Give the young colonies and founding queens more protein jelly and honey along with small seeds, while established colonies with 50+ workers can be fed seed mix.
How to feed them and how much?
So the golden rule is 1 seed per ant per month. Feed them every two weeks (half dosage, for instance: 30 ants = 15 seeds every two weeks). The first feeding dose must be doubled. Keep an eye on their food storage so they always have one nest's chamber full of seeds.
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