Messor structor

Species at a glance

• Origin: a broad band from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Asia, including Ukraine
• Size: queen 11–14 mm; workers 4.5–9 mm
• Colony: a single queen; up to 10,000 workers
• Difficulty: suitable for beginners

Care conditions

• Temperature: 22–28 °C with only part of the nest heated
• Humidity: 30–60%; a mostly dry nest with one small moist area
• Food: seeds (canary seed, chia, poppy), insects once or twice a week for the queen and larvae, a little sugar once a week, water always

Hibernation

Essential: 3–4 months at about 8 °C, usually November to February. Stop feeding in October as temperatures drop, leaving only water.

Farm and colony growth

The colony stores seeds, so a missed feeding is no problem. Majors appear in the second or third year. Keep a young colony in a test tube, then move it into a formicarium with a dry granary.