| Latin Name: | Messor aciculatus | |
| Trivialname: | – | |
| Taxonomy: | Subfamily: Myrmicinae Tribe: Pheidolini | |
| Keeping Level: | (1) Species from Asia with higher requirements to escape prevention | |
| Distribution: | China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Russia | |
| Habitat: | Sand and shrub areas, open grassland | |
| Colonyform: | polygyne | |
| Queen: | Size: 10mm Colour: shiny black | |
| Worker: | Size: 4 – 5mm Colour: shiny black | |
| Soldier: | not present | |
| Males: | Size: 4 – 10mm Colour: shiny black | |
| Nutrition | Mostly seeds from different rampant plants (also grass) but insects, too | |
| Airhumidity: | Arena: 30 – 50% Nestpart: 50 – 70% | |
| Temperature: | Arena: 18 – 30°C Nestpart: 24 – 28°C | |
| Hibernation: | yes | |
| Nestform: | Build their nest in soil and under stones, nest depth can be up to 4m | |
| Kind of Formicaria: | Farm, Farmbasin, Basin, Framebasin, Island, Acrylcylinder, Ytong/Plasternest | |
| Formicaria size: | Size: M | |
| Substrate: | Farm: Sand-Loam Arena: Sand, Sand-Loam | |
| Planting: | similar to savanah areas with grass and other plants | |
| Decoration: | Branches, roots, treeneedels, | |
| Description: | This species is a highly granivor ant which collects all kinds of small seeds and chews them into so- called antbread. Most of their water-requirements are covered through seeds and insects. Honeywater is only accepted when there is a lack of moisture. Messor aciculatus tends to drown in open water so it is necessary to cover waterplaces with little stones or cotton. | |
| Development: | matingflight: April to May founding: claustral (without feeding) colony age up to 25 years colonysize: up to 10.000 individuals |
|
| Quantity: | one fertilized queen with workers (see selection); brood (depending on the season and development) | |
| Weblinks: | – Forum |







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