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Messor muticus Care Guide: Keeping the Steppe Harvester Ant

Nov 1
4 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Messor muticus is a harvester ant from the steppes of Eastern Europe and western Asia. Like other Messor species, it collects seeds, stores them in dry chambers and chews them into "ant bread" for the colony. Small workers forage alongside majors with big heads that crack the seeds open, so there is plenty to watch. Care is the same as for the popular Messor barbarus, which makes it an easy species to start with. Want to know more about this species in the wild? Read our Messor muticus facts.


At a glance

  • Origin: steppes and dry grasslands of Eastern Europe and western Asia

  • Difficulty: beginner

  • Colony structure: one queen, sometimes two queens that start together

  • Workers: strongly polymorphic, from small workers to big-headed majors

  • Growth: medium, slow at first

  • Colony size: large

  • Temperature: room temperature, gentle heat optional

  • Humidity: moist brood area, dry seed storage

  • Winter rest: recommended

  • Most important point: no vibrations


Appearance

Head and thorax are brown to reddish brown and the gaster is dark brown. Next to small and medium workers, the colony raises majors with enlarged heads and strong jaws that crack open seeds. Large majors can be dark brown all over. Messor muticus looks very much like its close relative Messor structor, but it is usually a bit darker.


Where does it live?

Messor muticus lives in the steppes and dry grasslands from Romania and Ukraine through southern Russia, Türkiye and the Caucasus to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. For a long time it was seen as the same species as Messor structor, and it was only recognised as a separate species again in 2018. The two live in different regions and different climates: structor further west, muticus further east.


Colony structure

A young queen starts her colony after the nuptial flight and does not need food until her first workers arrive. Queens can also start a colony together, which is why we offer this species with one or two queens. Keep in mind that two queens do not always stay together. In a small lab study, most colonies that started with two queens ended up with one: queens injured each other, and once workers arrived they sometimes removed the extra queen. The only colony that kept both queens had extra room and cooler conditions. So if one of your two queens dies, that is part of how this species works. Never add a new queen to an existing colony.


Founding a colony

Leave a founding queen in a closed test tube until the first workers arrive. Too much space causes unnecessary stress. Our test tube guide shows how to set one up.


Growth

Growth is slow in the first months, and faster once the colony has more workers and warm conditions. Mature colonies can become large. How fast it goes differs per colony, so we do not give timelines.


No vibrations

This is the most important point for this species. Messor muticus is very sensitive to vibrations, which stress the colony and can shorten the life of the queen. Place the setup somewhere free of vibrations, such as a separate table or a wall shelf, and avoid moving or touching it more than necessary.


Temperature and heating

Messor muticus does well at room temperature, and warmer conditions speed up brood development. Heating is optional. Gentle heat on one side of the nest can help a young colony grow. Always leave a cooler area so the ants can choose, and keep in mind that the setting on a heat mat is not the temperature in the nest.


Humidity

Keep the brood area of the nest moderately moist and another area dry for seed storage. Seeds that get too damp can sprout or go mouldy. Always keep clean water available.


Winter rest

A winter rest is recommended. In the steppe, this species slows down in winter. Give the colony a cooler rest period from late autumn to early spring, for example in an unheated room. Colonies can be kept active all year, but a winter rest is good for the queen in the long run. Feed less during this period, but always keep water available.


Feeding: seeds

  • Seeds: seeds are the main food. Young colonies without majors do best with small, soft seeds, such as our Pre-Major Harvester Seed Mix.

  • Small portions: do not give too many seeds at once. Sorting and storing a large pile costs the colony a lot of energy, which slows down growth. Offer a small amount and add more when the stock runs low.

  • Insects: not essential, but a small insect now and then does no harm.

  • Sugar: not needed. Like Messor barbarus, this species does not take sugar water or sugar jelly.

  • Water: always keep clean water available.

  • Hygiene: remove old husks from the outworld to prevent mould.


Waste and droppings

Workers store seeds in dry chambers called granaries and carry the leftover husks out of the nest to a waste pile. Because they eat seeds, they also produce hard droppings. They usually smear these against the glass of the outworld, and in a nest that is too large they will use a whole chamber as a toilet. This is completely normal, and one more reason not to give the colony a nest that is too big.


Housing

  • Founding queen: a closed test tube until the first workers arrive.

  • First workers: connect the test tube to a Mini Outworld to give the colony a small foraging area.

  • Larger colonies: once the colony has a large number of workers, move it to the Avalon Ant Nest (Small Chambers version). Avoid a nest that is much too big for the colony.

  • Strong jaws: majors of larger colonies can damage soft materials such as Ytong, plaster and cotton stoppers. Check stoppers and nests regularly for damage.

  • Escape prevention: not a strong climber, so small colonies do not need an anti-escape barrier. For larger colonies, apply Fluon to the outworld.


Is Messor muticus right for you?

If you want a calm, easy harvester ant with impressive majors, Messor muticus is a great choice. Feeding is simple and the workers are harmless to people. Just give the colony a quiet, vibration-free spot. Have a look at our Messor muticus colonies, or compare it with Messor structor and Messor barbarus.


Sources

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