Messor muticus

Species at a glance

• Origin: the steppes of Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, and east into Central Asia
• Colony: a single queen; workers of varying size
• Difficulty: intermediate, for keepers with some experience

Care conditions

• Temperature: roughly 22–28 °C during the active season
• Humidity: a mostly dry nest with a small moist area
• Food: a mix of small untreated seeds (poppy, chia, canary seed, grass seeds); a few insects once or twice a week for the brood

Hibernation

Coming from a region with cold winters, it needs a full hibernation: 3–4 months at about 8–10 °C with water but no food.

Please note

This species is rare in the hobby and there is little verified care data. The conditions given are a guide based on related species of the genus; check them with the seller and watch how the colony responds.