Species comparison

Formica cinerea vs Messor barbarus

Side by side: difficulty, size, growth, climate, hibernation and nuptial flights, from the data and sources of each species sheet.

Head to head

Formica cinerea and Messor barbarus compared fact by fact
Formica cinereaMessor barbarus
Keeping
Difficulty
5/7

Intermediate

Easier1/7

Beginner

Escape risk
High
LowerLow
Diet
SugarInsects
SugarInsectsSeeds
Best nests
Ytong nest · Sandwich nest · Acrylic nest
Ytong nest · Acrylic nest · Naturalistic setup
Colony
Growth
Very fast
Very fast
Colony size
Reaches 10,000 workers
Reaches 1,000 workers
Workers
4–8 mm

All the same size

3–8 mm

majors up to 14 mm

Queen
8–11 mm
14–17 mm
Colony founding
Fully claustral

One or more queens

Fully claustral

One queen

Defense
Bites · Sprays formic acid
Bites
Climate
Nest temperature
21–27 °C
21–26 °C
Nest humidity
50–60 %
50–60 %

Seed granaries: 10–40 %

Hibernation
5–8 °C

Oct – Mar

12–16 °C

Oct – Mar

Nuptial flights
Jun – Aug
Sep – Nov

After rain

Native range
Europe, Asia
Europe, North Africa

Size to scale

  • Formica cinerea

    Workers · 4–8 mm
    Queen · 8–11 mm

  • Messor barbarus

    Workers · 3–8 mm
    Majors · ≤ 14 mm
    Queen · 14–17 mm
10 mm: both species are drawn at the same scale

Their year side by side

  • Formica cinerea : Hibernation: Oct – Mar, Nuptial flights: Jun – Aug

  • Messor barbarus : Hibernation: Oct – Mar, Nuptial flights: Sep – Nov

Months for temperate Europe and the Mediterranean. The weather decides the exact days, so flights can come earlier or later where you live.

How to tell them apart

Formica cinerea

Almost black workers with a silvery gray sheen, large eyes and dark reddish legs. They run very fast and on irregular paths, which makes them hard to follow.

  • Watch out Escapes are most likely during outworld maintenance, because the workers move so fast and irregularly: work calmly and keep an eye on every ant until the setup is closed again.
  • Tip A white Ytong nest suits this species well, because the almost black workers stand out against it and every chamber is easy to watch.

Messor barbarus

Black workers in many sizes, from small minors to majors with an oversized red head that cracks seeds. They walk slowly and clumsily, and they are poor climbers.

  • Tip Give the nest a humidity gradient: dry granaries keep the seeds from sprouting or going moldy, while the brood needs the humid chambers.
  • Tip Seeds alone can feed the whole colony, but a few insects once the colony has grown a bit speed up the growth of the brood.

More comparisons

Compare
with
Formica cinerea care guide Messor barbarus care guide

Not sure which ant to keep?

Take the 1-minute species finder quiz and get matched with the perfect species for your experience, your space and what you'd love to watch.

See all species