Messor cephalotes vs Messor barbarus: Which Harvester Ant Should You Choose?

Messor cephalotes and Messor barbarus are both harvester ants: they collect seeds, store them in dry chambers and raise majors with big heads that crack the seeds open. But one comes from the savannas of East Africa and is the biggest harvester ant in the world, while the other is the classic beginner species from southern Europe. Which one fits you best? Here is how they compare.

Quick comparison

• Origin: Messor cephalotes comes from Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania; Messor barbarus from the western Mediterranean.

• Size: cephalotes queens are more than 2 cm and majors come close to 2 cm; barbarus is much smaller.

• Temperature: cephalotes needs warmth all year; barbarus does well at room temperature, with gentle heat as an option.

• Winter rest: cephalotes has none; for barbarus a winter rest is recommended.

• Food: both eat mainly seeds. Cephalotes also takes insects and a little sugar; barbarus does not take sugar.

• Sensitivity: both are sensitive to vibrations, and the cephalotes queen is extra sensitive.

• Price and availability: barbarus is affordable and easy to get; cephalotes is rare and much more expensive.

• Best for: barbarus for beginners; cephalotes for keepers with some experience.

Size: the biggest difference

A Messor cephalotes queen with her first small workers.

This is where Messor cephalotes really stands out. Its queens are more than 2 cm long, and the largest majors come close to that. Messor barbarus is clearly smaller, though its majors with their big reddish heads are impressive too. In both species, the first workers of a young colony are small, and the majors only appear once the colony has grown.

Warmth and winter rest

Messor barbarus comes from the Mediterranean, with warm summers and cooler winters. It does fine at room temperature, and a cooler winter rest is good for the queen in the long run. Messor cephalotes is a tropical ant. It needs warmth all year, a heated side of the nest and no winter rest. At normal room temperature it survives, but hardly grows. A heat mat with temperature controller makes that easy.

Feeding

A Messor barbarus major at the nest entrance.

Both species live mainly on seeds, in small portions so the colony does not waste energy sorting a big pile. Young colonies of both do best with small, soft seeds, such as our Pre-Major Harvester Seed Mix. The difference: Messor cephalotes also likes insects, especially when it is raising majors, and takes a little sugar now and then. Messor barbarus does not need sugar, and insects are optional.

Sensitivity and handling

Both species are very sensitive to vibrations, so both need a quiet, stable spot. With Messor cephalotes this is even more important: the queen is extra sensitive to stress, and the colony should be disturbed as little as possible. Neither species is aggressive, but cephalotes majors can give a painful bite.

Price and availability

Messor barbarus is one of the most widely available species in Europe and very affordable. Messor cephalotes is rare and much more expensive, and it has been in the news because of smuggling cases in Kenya. If you buy it, make sure your seller can tell you where it comes from. Read more in the Kenya ant smuggling cases explained.

Which one should you choose?

Starting out with ant keeping? Then Messor barbarus is the better choice: it is easy, affordable, forgiving and full of interesting behaviour. Read our Messor barbarus care guide and have a look at our Messor barbarus colonies. Already have some experience, and can you give a colony warmth all year and a quiet spot? Then Messor cephalotes is a spectacular next step. Read the Messor cephalotes care guide and see our Messor cephalotes colonies. Curious about this giant? Read our Messor cephalotes facts.

Messor barbarus photo: © Jonghyun Park, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.