Harvester ants (Messor capitatus)
Messor capitatus · Messor
Harvester ants (Messor capitatus). Recorded flying in two windows: January and November through December. Black to dark brown head, dark reddish-brown mesosoma, black, glossy gaster. Winged alate with smoky translucent wings, reddish-brown mesosoma contrasting the black head and gaster.
When do harvester ants fly?
Recorded flying in two windows: January and November through December.
Flight calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Queen appearance
Black to dark brown head, dark reddish-brown mesosoma, black, glossy gaster. Winged alate with smoky translucent wings, reddish-brown mesosoma contrasting the black head and gaster.
brief nuptial flight, then wings are shed and the queen digs in to found the nest claustrally
Founding care
Fully claustral: seal her in a test tube setup, somewhere dark and undisturbed. She raises the first brood on her own wing muscles and needs no food or opening until the first workers appear.
Needs a winter diapause: a cool, dark rest period each year.
Diet: Mainly seeds and nuts but dead insects and sugar water, honey too.
Intermediate · Queen ~12-15 mm
Read more on AntWiki →Care data from antkeeping.info (CC BY 4.0).
Habitat
Soil · also soil mound · typical for this genus
After a flight, watch bare or grassy ground for wingless queens. Watch cleared, sunny ground for wingless queens.
More Messor species
Barbary harvester ant (Messor barbarus)See harvester ants where you live
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