Bundle Offer – Messor structor

Bundle offer including a Messor structor ant colony (queen with 26-50 workers + brood), a starter set Habitat Desert M with a second ant farm 20×20 M, 3x formicarium pads and a jar of our special Cricket Jam (moist protein).

Only while stocks last.

Everything you need for a Messor structor ant colony
This bundle contains everything you need to successfully get a colony of Messor structor through the first few months. It is flexibly expandable and explicitly suitable for beginners in ant keeping.

Messor structor ant species
Messor structor is a granivorous (grain-eating) ant species. It is mainly found in southern Europe and the Mediterranean region, but also in central Europe and its distribution area extends as far as Iran and southern Russia. It is also the only Messor species found in Germany. The workers are slightly smaller than those of Messor barbarus, but Messor structor produces so-called major workers (largest worker caste) earlier.

Even though Messor structor is mainly found in steppes, there are populations in some countries that are more at home in mountainous regions or even mixed forests. This shows the great adaptability of this species. Messor structor usually forms polygynous colonies (several queens in one colony), but it also occurs monogynously (only one queen per colony).

Scientists have been trying for some time to find out whether Messor structor may have developed several subspecies that occur in different regions by analyzing the genetic material of different colonies. However, this has not yet been conclusively clarified.

Nest for Messor structor
Messor structor prefers to nest in sandy soils. However, unlike most other Messor species, it is relatively flexible and can sometimes be found nesting under stones or in shady places in earthier soils.

Food for Messor structor
Like all Messor species, Messor structor feeds mainly on seeds that are collected, stored and processed into so-called ant bread, which then has a longer shelf life and gets the colonies through periods when there are fewer seeds to be found in nature. Protein is accepted both dead and alive. In the wild they kill small insects and use them to feed their brood. Sugar solution or honey is only accepted if the colony does not have enough fresh water available to cover its moisture requirements.

The optimum climatic conditions for Messor structor are as follows:
Humidity:
Arena: 30 – 50% Nest area: 50 – 70%
Temperature:
Arena: 22 – 30°C Nest area: 21- 27°C

Contents:
1x Messor structor ant colony (queen + 26-50 workers + brood)
1x Cricket Jam
1x grain food minor 100g
1x Formicarium pad – 20x20cm
2x Formicarium pad – 20x6cm

1x ANTCUBE – arena 20x20x10 – flat
1x ant arena frame 20×20
1x ant arena cover 20×20
4x fixing point for arena cover
2x ANTCUBE – ant farm – M – 20×20 – standing

1x 1m tube transparent 14/10 mm
2x ANTCUBE – Red foil 20×20 – filter
2x adhesive clips – transparent 2 pcs.
1x substrate – desert – 1kg
1x Formicarium granules 200ml – beige

1x grid insert – 50mm – stainless steel
1x Formicarium plug for 50mm hole
1x Formicarium plug for 27mm hole
1x grid cap – 10mm – stainless steel

1x tank hose connector 27-14,16,20 mm – transparent
1x bowl clear 1×20 – sponge
1x drinking trough clear 20ml – sponge
1x food dispenser 2ml – dosable
1x Mini thermo-hygrometer analog – display – hanging
1x Ant escape protection oil 10ml
1x Tweezers spring steel – wide – soft
1x Tweezers plastic transparent
1x plastic pipette 3ml
1x hand magnifier – 2x – 30mm
1x foam wiper 150x18x2,5mm
1x photo back – desert – 20×10

Description:
This Starter Set Desert is suitable for all species of the genus Messor living in deserts, steppes or Mediterranean climates. One of the two farms is intended for storing the seeds and ant bread and should therefore be kept completely dry to prevent the seeds/grains stored there by the ants from germinating or becoming moldy.

In the fully transparent farm (nest), the “substrate – desert” is used to fill the farm. If required, additional modules can be connected via the 50 mm holes in the cover, e.g. the separately available foggers, fans or lights. Alternatively, suitable formicarium plugs are included to close the openings. If desired, the formicarium can also be operated open by simply placing the removable frame on top and applying the ant escape protection oil to the edge. The “clear 20 ml drinking trough – sponge” is intended for water, the “2 ml food dispenser – dosable” for grain food.

Important: Please moisten the substrate before use so that the mixture can bond and develop a firm hold in the ant farm. In addition, if the substrate is too dry and dusty, the ants’ airways may be blocked and, in the worst case, the animals may suffocate.

Recommendation: We recommend a substrate layer of 2 mm in height so that the animals cannot burrow into the arena and instead use the farm provided for this purpose. We also recommend that the nesting material in the farm (sand/clay, Digfix, etc.) is slightly pricked in one place to make it easier for the animals to dig.

Notes on production
The glass is cut to size according to DIN 1249 with a tolerance of +/- 1 mm. For extremely small ant species, additional break-out protection is essential.

Notes on the farm
Please note the following when attaching or removing hoses:
If the tube is very difficult to fit onto the connection socket, the socket should be lightly rubbed with a drop of our break-out protection oil or powder. The hose should then be pushed onto the socket using twisting or screwing movements without straining the socket with up and down movements. The same applies when removing the hoses from the farm connection socket. Please do not simply pull it off!

Notes on the Cricket Jam:
Our Cricket Jam is an easy way to provide your ants with freshly preserved protein food without having to feed live insects. The contained crickets (Acheta domesticus) have been gently cooked to ensure that nutritional values, taste and aroma are retained. In addition, the chitinous shell of the insects is softened in this way so that it can be digested more easily. The bonds of the collagen proteins are broken down so that the ants can utilize them better. Canned Acheta domesticus has the same nutritional value as live crickets, but is easier to digest.

The Cricket Jam is not suitable for hunting ant species that require live food. (e.g. ponerines (great ants) such as Harpegnathos or Odontomachus)

Further advantages:
Guaranteed mite-free
Can be portioned and diluted with water
Sterilized and vacuum-packed
Without additives
Crickets from sustainable, purely organic breeding, fed with organic waste

Note:
Can be kept in the fridge for about four days after opening. Longer shelf life if frozen.
Attention: First portion, then freeze.