[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":365},["ShallowReactive",2],{"species-sheet-\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-ibericus":3},{"species":4,"profile":235,"countryNames":273,"lookalikes":286,"similar":293,"comparisons":336,"posts":343},{"id":5,"authority":6,"colonyStructure":7,"confidence":8,"countries":11,"defense":24,"diet":26,"difficulty":30,"dryHumidity":31,"escapeRisk":10,"estimated":34,"experience":42,"extension":43,"finder":44,"founding":45,"growth":46,"guide":47,"hibernation":48,"hibernationMonths":49,"hibernationTemperature":51,"humidity":54,"image":57,"imageCredit":58,"imageHeight":62,"imageWidth":63,"interests":47,"keptSince":47,"legal":64,"lookalikes":67,"majorSize":52,"maxWorkers":71,"meta":72,"nests":73,"nuptialFlightMonths":77,"nuptialFlightTime":47,"nuptialFlightTriggers":47,"polymorphism":80,"queenSize":81,"regions":83,"relatedPosts":85,"reviewedAt":66,"scientificName":89,"sources":90,"stem":221,"subfamily":222,"temperature":223,"tribe":226,"workerSize":227,"__hash__":229,"slug":230,"genus":231,"nickname":232,"aliases":233,"tagline":234},"species\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-ibericus.yml","Santschi, 1925","facultative",{"biology":9,"husbandry":9,"nuptialFlight":10},"medium","low",[12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23],"ES","PT","FR","IT","MT","CH","DE","SI","HR","RO","BG","GR",[25],"bite",[27,28,29],"seeds","insects","sugar",2,[32,33],30,50,[35,36,37,38,39,40,41],"temperature","humidity","hibernationTemperature","nuptialFlightMonths","workerSize","queenSize","maxWorkers","compiled","yml",false,"claustral","fast",null,"recommended",[50,30],11,[52,53],10,15,[55,56],40,60,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-ibericus\u002Fmessor-ibericus.jpg",{"author":59,"license":60,"url":61},"Jonghyun Park (clurarit)","CC BY 4.0","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations\u002F242538913",800,1200,{"status":65,"checked":66},"free","2026-10-26",[68,69,70],"Messor structor","Messor capitatus","Messor wasmanni",3500,{},[74,75,76],"ytong","sandwich","acrylic",[78,79],4,6,"polymorphic",[82,52],9,[84],"europe",[86,87,88],"how-to-make-a-ytong-nest","how-to-care-for-messor-barbarus","how-to-hibernate-your-ants","Messor ibericus",[91,97,101,106,113,118,122,126,130,134,138,142,146,150,154,158,163,167,171,175,179,183,188,192,196,200,205,209,213,217],{"type":92,"title":93,"url":94,"covers":95},"reference","AntCat: Messor ibericus Santschi, 1925, valid species (protonym Messor structor var. ibericus, lectotype from Gavà, Catalonia, designated by Steiner et al. 2018, with Messor structor novaki Finzi, 1929 from Dalmatia as a junior synonym)","https:\u002F\u002Fantcat.org\u002Fcatalog\u002F440092",[96],"taxonomy",{"type":92,"title":98,"url":99,"covers":100},"Catalogue of Life: Messor ibericus Santschi, 1925 (AntCat classification: Myrmicinae, Stenammini)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.catalogueoflife.org\u002Fdata\u002Ftaxon\u002F42824",[96],{"type":102,"title":103,"url":104,"covers":105},"paper","Steiner et al. (2018), Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 127: Turning one into five, integrative taxonomy uncovers complex evolution of cryptic species in the harvester ant Messor structor (M. ibericus redescribed as one of the five species once lumped under structor)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1016\u002Fj.ympev.2018.04.005",[96],{"type":102,"title":107,"url":108,"covers":109},"Juvé et al. (2025), Nature 646: One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants (all workers are first-generation hybrids with M. structor fathers, queens clone M. structor males from stored sperm, hybrid workers in 69 Mediterranean populations without M. structor and in Sicily over 1000 km from it, 65 laboratory colonies kept in a room at 25 °C and 40% humidity and fed grass seeds)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1038\u002Fs41586-025-09425-w",[96,110,111,112],"biology","distribution","husbandry",{"type":102,"title":114,"url":115,"covers":116},"Schlick-Steiner et al. (2006), European Journal of Entomology 103: More than one species of Messor harvester ants in Central Europe (the German populations near Mainz, now assigned to M. ibericus, are reported after Heller 1971 to swarm and keep their colonies strictly separate, unlike the Lower Austrian ones)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eje.cz\u002Fpdfs\u002Feje\u002F2006\u002F02\u002F25.pdf",[110,111,117],"nuptialFlight",{"type":102,"title":119,"url":120,"covers":121},"Lapeva-Gjonova, Gjonov, Kostova and Mifsud (2025), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 98: Vibroacoustic signalling of the Maltese Messor ants, with geographical insights into M. ibericus (range from Spain to Greece and Bulgaria, from Germany at 50° N to Crete and Malta, nests under stones, more typical of lower altitudes than M. structor, workers and queens active at night on Gozo)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.3897\u002Fjhr.98.170415",[96,110,111],{"type":102,"title":123,"url":124,"covers":125},"Giannetti, Schifani and Grasso (2025), Current Zoology 71: An adhesive drone trap to study the flight altitude preferences of winged ants (Messor ibericus nuptial flights on 9 May 2022 and 30 April 2023 between 11:00 and 14:00 at 24 to 25 °C, queens and males caught 60 to 75 m up)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1093\u002Fcz\u002Fzoaf002",[117],{"type":102,"title":127,"url":128,"covers":129},"Lebas (2021), Osmia 9: Influence des activités humaines sur la répartition des fourmis du genre Messor dans les Pyrénées-Orientales (M. ibericus in gorse scrub, roadsides, banks, vineyards and gardens, largest populations along irrigation ditches, an almost strictly Mediterranean range with a pocket in Germany)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.47446\u002FOSMIA9.9",[110,111],{"type":102,"title":131,"url":132,"covers":133},"Lapeva-Gjonova and Antonova (2022), Biodiversity Data Journal 10: An updated checklist of ants of Bulgaria, after 130 years of research (M. ibericus recorded for Bulgaria by Steiner et al. 2018)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.3897\u002FBDJ.10.e95599",[111],{"type":102,"title":135,"url":136,"covers":137},"Lapeva-Gjonova et al. (2025), Biodiversity Data Journal 13: DNA barcoding of Messor ants of Bulgaria (the COI barcode separates M. ibericus, whose workers are hybrids with M. structor)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.3897\u002Fbdj.13.e168586",[96,111],{"type":92,"title":139,"url":140,"covers":141},"AntWiki: Messor ibericus (told from M. structor and M. muticus by the short first funicular segment and the scape base without a lobe, the smallest queens of the complex, the most common structor-group species in Greece, open habitats, country list, swarming and separate colonies near Mainz)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antwiki.org\u002Fwiki\u002FMessor_ibericus",[96,110,111],{"type":92,"title":143,"url":144,"covers":145},"GBIF: Messor ibericus, occurrence records by country (Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Greece, Germany, Croatia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Portugal) and the English name Iberian harvester ant from the Catalogue of Life","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gbif.org\u002Fspecies\u002F1316409",[96,111],{"type":92,"title":147,"url":148,"covers":149},"Wikipedia: Messor ibericus (Iberian harvester ant, xenoparity)","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FMessor_ibericus",[96,110],{"type":92,"title":151,"url":152,"covers":153},"Wikipedia (Spanish): Messor ibericus, hormiga cosechadora ibérica (warm, open and dry habitats such as scrub, grassland, roadsides, open pine woods and olive groves)","https:\u002F\u002Fes.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FMessor_ibericus",[96,110,111],{"type":92,"title":155,"url":156,"covers":157},"iNaturalist: Messor ibericus observations annotated as male (only ten records, several not yet verified, in March and April and again from September to November)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations?taxon_id=840243&term_id=9&term_value_id=11",[117],{"type":159,"title":160,"url":161,"covers":162},"careSheet","Ameisenforum.de: Steckbrief Messor ibericus, früher Messor structor (sizes, mostly polygyne colonies that spread by budding, Ytong nest with a damp area and larger dry areas, winter rest from late October to March in Central Europe)","https:\u002F\u002Fameisenforum.de\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=31069",[112,110,111,117],{"type":159,"title":164,"url":165,"covers":166},"formicarium.it: Scheda di allevamento di Messor structor (Italian populations, which recent studies assign to M. ibericus: polygynous colonies, no true nuptial flight, budding, nest at 22 to 28 °C, optional winter rest at 5 to 15 °C, plaster, Ytong or soil sandwich nests, digging into damp plaster, sweet fruit preferred to honey)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fformiche-italiane\u002Fmessor-structor\u002F",[112,110],{"type":159,"title":168,"url":169,"covers":170},"Ants R Us: Messor ibericus starter kit (claustral founding, nest 18 to 26 °C, 50 to 60% humidity, winter rest from November to February at 15 °C)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antsrus.com\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fmessor-ibericus-starter-kit",[112],{"type":159,"title":172,"url":173,"covers":174},"FormicaMarket: Messor ibericus care guide (nest 21 to 30 °C and 40 to 60% humidity, winter rest at 12 °C, mostly dry Ytong, plaster or 3D-printed nests; its queen size of 14 to 17 mm and summer flight months do not match the other sources)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicamarket.com\u002Fen\u002Fant-database\u002Fmessor-ibericus\u002F",[112],{"type":159,"title":176,"url":177,"covers":178},"Antariums: fiche d’élevage Messor structor (M. ibericus has a slightly shorter first funicular segment and smaller queens, and is kept the same way)","https:\u002F\u002Fv5.antariums.org\u002Fmessor-structor",[96,112],{"type":159,"title":180,"url":181,"covers":182},"Antkeeping.info: Messor ibericus (country list, flights in May and June)","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002Fmessor-ibericus\u002F",[111,117],{"type":184,"title":185,"url":186,"covers":187},"forum","formicarium.it forum: Regine Messor structor (Marano sul Panaro, Modena, 17 April 2013: winged queens at a nest entrance in the evening without flying, mating on the ground, budding, and keepers noting that lone queens rarely found a colony)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=6303",[110,117,112],{"type":184,"title":189,"url":190,"covers":191},"formicarium.it forum: Diario di allevamento di Messor structor (an Italian colony of a few thousand workers with 12 dealate and about 40 winged queens, Ytong nest painted with acrylic paint, heat mat, 12 to 15 crickets or mealworms a week)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=5580",[112,110],{"type":184,"title":193,"url":194,"covers":195},"formicarium.it forum: Formicai in gesso, verticale e orizzontale (an Italian colony of over 3400 workers and about 30 queens, workers tunneling through damp plaster into the water tank)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=151",[112,110],{"type":92,"title":197,"url":198,"covers":199},"AntFlights: prenuptial flight of Messor ibericus, Madrid, Spain, 31 March 2025 at 12:41 (sunny and calm, not yet confirmed on the site)","https:\u002F\u002Fantflights.com\u002Ff\u002F2373\u002Fprenuptial-flight-messor-ibericus-comunidad-de-madrid-spain",[117],{"type":92,"title":201,"url":202,"covers":203},"EU list of invasive alien species of Union concern (Implementing Regulation 2016\u002F1141, consolidated)","https:\u002F\u002Feur-lex.europa.eu\u002Feli\u002Freg_impl\u002F2016\u002F1141\u002Foj",[204],"legal",{"type":92,"title":206,"url":207,"covers":208},"Wikipedia: List of invasive alien species of Union concern (the listed ants are Brachyponera chinensis, Solenopsis geminata, invicta and richteri, and Wasmannia auropunctata, no Messor)","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FList_of_invasive_alien_species_of_Union_concern",[204],{"type":92,"title":210,"url":211,"covers":212},"Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), Anlage 1: protected species in Germany (Formica only, no Messor)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesetze-im-internet.de\u002Fbartschv_2005\u002Fanlage_1.html",[204],{"type":92,"title":214,"url":215,"covers":216},"MITECO: Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Alien Species, arthropods (no Messor)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.miteco.gob.es\u002Fen\u002Fbiodiversidad\u002Ftemas\u002Fconservacion-de-especies\u002Fespecies-exoticas-invasoras\u002Fce_eei_artropodos_nc.html",[204],{"type":92,"title":218,"url":219,"covers":220},"Japan Ministry of the Environment: list of designated invasive alien species (Invasive Alien Species Act, no Messor)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.env.go.jp\u002Fnature\u002Fintro\u002F2outline\u002Flist.html",[204],"species\u002Fmessor-ibericus","Myrmicinae",[224,225],22,28,"Stenammini",[78,228],8,"2NvbTb3Jrc90cLU5OCA6PRI_bLVohp5t0YlK9ZVHqas","messor-ibericus","Messor","Iberian harvester ant",[],"A hairy brown seed harvester of southern Europe whose queens raise hybrid workers by cloning the males of another species.",{"id":236,"title":237,"aliases":233,"body":238,"description":242,"extension":244,"faqs":245,"identification":255,"language":256,"meta":257,"navigation":258,"nickname":232,"notes":259,"path":270,"seo":271,"stem":221,"tagline":234,"__hash__":272},"speciesProfiles\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-ibericus.md","Messor Ibericus",{"type":239,"value":240,"toc":241},"minimark",[],{"title":242,"searchDepth":30,"depth":30,"links":243},"",[],"md",[246,249,252],{"question":247,"answer":248},"How can a Messor ibericus queen give birth to another species?","Her workers can only come from the sperm of Messor structor males, so every worker is a hybrid, while the sperm of her own species gives new queens. In most colonies studied she lays those structor males herself: some of her eggs carry only the structor DNA of the sperm she stored and develop into clones of her mates. In one lab colony, a single queen raised both hairy ibericus males and almost hairless structor males. Researchers call this xenoparity.",{"question":250,"answer":251},"Is my Messor structor colony really Messor ibericus?","If it comes from Italy, Spain or the Mediterranean coast, probably yes. Both went by the name structor until a 2018 study split it into five species, and a 2025 study found Messor ibericus in 69 Mediterranean populations without a single structor colony. Telling the workers apart takes a microscope, but both species are kept the same way.",{"question":253,"answer":254},"Where does Messor ibericus live?","Around the northern Mediterranean, from Spain and Portugal through southern France, Italy, Switzerland and the Balkans to Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, south to Crete and Malta, with an outpost near Mainz in Germany. It nests in warm, open ground such as dry grassland, roadsides, vineyards and gardens, often under stones and also in towns, usually lower down than Messor structor.","Reddish brown to dark brown workers of many sizes, with abundant hairs, duller than the glossy black Messor capitatus. It is a near twin of Messor structor: only a microscope shows its slightly shorter first antennal segment after the scape, and its queens are smaller, so around the Mediterranean the place it comes from is the best clue.","en",{},true,[260,263,266,268],{"kind":261,"text":262},"tip","A warm, fairly dry nest suits it. The team behind the 2025 Nature study kept 65 colonies in a room at 25 °C and 40% humidity and fed them grass seeds. Add a water tube or one damp corner, but keep the seed store dry, because seeds that get too damp sprout and the workers then carry them out.",{"kind":264,"text":265},"watchOut","A queen picked up next to a nest may never get started alone. In Italy, winged queens were seen waiting at the nest entrance instead of flying off, and keepers report that they mate on the ground, then go back into the nest or leave with a group of workers, and rarely found a colony alone. Collect a few workers with such a queen, or start from a colony that already has some.",{"kind":261,"text":267},"Seeds are the staple, with small dandelion or grass seeds for the first workers. Add insects as the colony grows: an Italian colony of a few thousand workers took 12 to 15 crickets or mealworms a week. Sweet ripe fruit tends to be more popular than honey.",{"kind":264,"text":269},"The workers dig into plaster and Ytong where it gets damp. One Italian colony tunneled through softened plaster into the water tank of its nest, so leave thick walls around the chambers. Another keeper painted a Ytong nest with acrylic paint, and the ants dug only where it was unpainted.","\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-ibericus",{"description":242},"C_3td-bmU6j4eRxl2qEgQ7wm6tW0mAjYHni0hNoNfMk",[274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285],"Bulgaria","Croatia","France","Germany","Greece","Italy","Malta","Portugal","Romania","Slovenia","Spain","Switzerland",[287,289,291],{"name":68,"slug":288},"messor-structor",{"name":69,"slug":290},"messor-capitatus",{"name":70,"slug":292},"messor-wasmanni",[294,310,321],{"slug":290,"scientificName":69,"genus":231,"nickname":295,"aliases":296,"tagline":297,"image":298,"experience":42,"guide":47,"difficulty":30,"workerSize":299,"majorSize":300,"queenSize":301,"temperature":302,"hibernation":303,"hibernationTemperature":304,"hibernationBand":305,"sizeClass":306,"founding":45,"colonyStructure":307,"regions":308},"European seed harvesting ant",[],"A glossy black seed harvester with big-headed majors that grind tough seeds into ant bread on dry, rocky ground.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-capitatus\u002Fmessor-capitatus.jpg",[78,228],13,[300,53],[224,225],"required",[52,53],"cool","large","monogyne",[84,309],"northAfrica",{"slug":288,"scientificName":68,"genus":231,"nickname":242,"aliases":311,"tagline":312,"image":313,"experience":42,"guide":47,"difficulty":30,"workerSize":314,"majorSize":52,"queenSize":315,"temperature":316,"hibernation":303,"hibernationTemperature":317,"hibernationBand":305,"sizeClass":306,"founding":45,"colonyStructure":319,"regions":320},[],"A rough-skinned brown harvester ant that shares its nest with many queens and spreads by splitting off new colonies.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-structor\u002Fmessor-structor.jpg",[78,228],[82,50],[224,225],[228,318],12,"polygyne",[84],{"slug":322,"scientificName":323,"genus":231,"nickname":324,"aliases":325,"tagline":326,"image":327,"experience":42,"guide":47,"difficulty":30,"workerSize":328,"majorSize":52,"queenSize":329,"temperature":330,"hibernation":48,"hibernationTemperature":331,"hibernationBand":333,"sizeClass":306,"founding":45,"colonyStructure":307,"regions":334},"messor-ebeninus","Messor ebeninus","Ebony harvester ant",[],"A glossy ebony-black harvester ant of the Middle East that stores its seeds upstairs and raises its brood in damp soil far below.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-ebeninus\u002Fmessor-ebeninus.jpg",[78,228],[50,318],[224,225],[53,332],18,"mild",[335,309],"middleEast",[337,339,341],{"pair":338,"name":69},"messor-capitatus-vs-messor-ibericus",{"pair":340,"name":68},"messor-ibericus-vs-messor-structor",{"pair":342,"name":70},"messor-ibericus-vs-messor-wasmanni",[344,351,358],{"id":345,"title":346,"description":347,"image":348,"categoryText":349,"path":350},"blog\u002Fhow-to-make-a-ytong-nest.md","How To Make a Ytong Nest - Ant Keeping Tutorial","In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a Ytong nest for your ant colonies! This is one of the best nest types for many ant species!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_ytong_ant_nest_tutorial.png","Tutorials & D.I.Y.","\u002Fhow-to-make-a-ytong-nest",{"id":352,"title":353,"description":354,"image":355,"categoryText":356,"path":357},"blog\u002Fhow-to-care-for-messor-barbarus.md","How To Care for Messor barbarus","In this guide, you will learn how to care for Messor barbarus! Temperature, humidity, food, hibernation, nest type... and much more!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_messor_barbarus_care_guide.png","Care Guides","\u002Fhow-to-care-for-messor-barbarus",{"id":359,"title":360,"description":361,"image":362,"categoryText":363,"path":364},"blog\u002Fhow-to-hibernate-your-ants.md","How To Hibernate Your Ants - Hibernation Tutorial","In this guide, we’re going to talk about hibernation: What is it? Why do ants need hibernation? Should I hibernate my ants? Let's see!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_hibernation_guide.png","Ant Keeping Basics","\u002Fhow-to-hibernate-your-ants",1793205495479]