[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":363},["ShallowReactive",2],{"species-sheet-\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-wasmanni":3},{"species":4,"profile":235,"countryNames":273,"lookalikes":285,"similar":290,"posts":342},{"id":5,"authority":6,"colonyStructure":7,"confidence":8,"countries":10,"defense":22,"diet":24,"difficulty":28,"dryHumidity":29,"escapeRisk":32,"estimated":33,"experience":38,"extension":39,"finder":40,"founding":41,"growth":42,"guide":43,"hibernation":44,"hibernationMonths":45,"hibernationTemperature":48,"humidity":50,"image":52,"imageCredit":53,"imageHeight":57,"imageWidth":58,"interests":43,"keptSince":43,"legal":59,"lookalikes":62,"majorSize":66,"maxWorkers":67,"meta":68,"nests":69,"nuptialFlightMonths":73,"nuptialFlightTime":43,"nuptialFlightTriggers":76,"polymorphism":78,"queenSize":79,"regions":81,"relatedPosts":84,"reviewedAt":61,"scientificName":88,"sources":89,"stem":220,"subfamily":221,"temperature":222,"tribe":225,"workerSize":226,"__hash__":229,"slug":230,"genus":231,"nickname":232,"aliases":233,"tagline":234},"species\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-wasmanni.yml","Krausse, 1910","monogyne",{"biology":9,"husbandry":9,"nuptialFlight":9},"medium",[11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21],"FR","IT","SI","HR","BA","ME","AL","MK","GR","BG","TR",[23],"bite",[25,26,27],"seeds","insects","sugar","2",[30,31],30,50,"low",[34,35,36,37],"hibernationTemperature","nuptialFlightMonths","queenSize","maxWorkers","compiled","yml",false,"claustral","moderate",null,"required",[46,47],12,2,[46,49],15,[31,51],70,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-wasmanni.jpg",{"author":54,"license":55,"url":56},"Philipp Hoenle (myrmecophil)","CC0 1.0","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations\u002F114126165",800,1200,{"status":60,"checked":61},"free","2026-10-11",[63,64,65],"Messor minor","Messor bouvieri","Messor capitatus",10,5000,{},[70,71,72],"ytong","acrylic","naturalistic",[74,75],9,11,[77],"rain","polymorphic",[46,80],14,[82,83],"europe","middleEast",[85,86,87],"how-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial","how-to-hibernate-your-ants","how-to-make-a-ytong-nest","Messor wasmanni",[90,96,101,107,111,115,119,123,127,131,135,139,146,150,154,158,162,166,170,174,179,183,187,191,195,199,203,208,212,216],{"type":91,"title":92,"url":93,"covers":94},"reference","AntCat: Messor wasmanni Krausse, 1910 (protonym Messor barbarus subsp. wasmanni, type locality Sardinia, valid species)","https:\u002F\u002Fantcat.org\u002Fprotonyms\u002F165980",[95],"taxonomy",{"type":97,"title":98,"url":99,"covers":100},"paper","Ward, Brady, Fisher and Schultz (2015), Systematic Entomology 40: The evolution of myrmicine ants, phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade (the tribe Stenammini, with Messor)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1111\u002Fsyen.12090",[95],{"type":97,"title":102,"url":103,"covers":104},"Steiner et al. (2011), Organisms Diversity and Evolution 11: Mixed colonies and hybridisation of Messor harvester ant species (Messor minor, M. cf. wasmanni and M. capitatus living side by side in Italy, fertile hybrids between the first two)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002Fs13127-011-0045-3",[95,105,106],"biology","distribution",{"type":97,"title":108,"url":109,"covers":110},"Salata, Lapeva-Gjonova, Georgiadis and Borowiec (2023), ZooKeys 1185: Review of the Messor semirufus complex in Greece (Messor wasmanni listed for the Balkans and western Turkey in the larger, usually bicolored wasmanni complex, whose large workers have a red mesosoma that is never entirely black, and which makes trunk trails)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.3897\u002Fzookeys.1185.111484",[95,105,106],{"type":97,"title":112,"url":113,"covers":114},"Schifani, Csősz, Viviano and Alicata (2021), Natural History Sciences 8: Ant diversity on the largest Mediterranean islands, with the Messor wasmanni entry (mostly an Eastern Mediterranean species, described from Sardinia, neotype needed, reddish Messor bouvieri taken for it)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.4081\u002Fnhs.2021.532",[95,106],{"type":97,"title":116,"url":117,"covers":118},"Harkness and Isham (1988), Insectes Sociaux 35: Relations between nests of Messor wasmanni in Greece (nest spacing, foraging trails and the lack of aggression between neighboring nests)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002FBF02224134",[105,106],{"type":97,"title":120,"url":121,"covers":122},"Traxler (2016), Ecologica Montenegrina 7: Native food spectrum, size-matching and foraging efficiency of the Mediterranean harvester ant Messor wasmanni (island of Cres, Croatia: diet, three worker size classes, trunk trails)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.37828\u002Fem.2016.7.19",[105,106],{"type":97,"title":124,"url":125,"covers":126},"Steiner et al. (2018), Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 127: Turning one into five, integrative taxonomy of the harvester ant Messor structor (three Messor cf. wasmanni nests from Italy, Croatia and Greece used as the outgroup)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1016\u002Fj.ympev.2018.04.005",[95],{"type":97,"title":128,"url":129,"covers":130},"Kiran and Karaman (2020), Zoosystema 42: Additions to the ant fauna of Turkey (Messor wasmanni specimens from many Turkish provinces)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.5252\u002Fzoosystema2020v42a18",[106],{"type":91,"title":132,"url":133,"covers":134},"AntWiki: Messor wasmanni (country list from Sardinia and Corsica to Turkey, common in central and southern Italy and the Balkans)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antwiki.org\u002Fwiki\u002FMessor_wasmanni",[95,105,106],{"type":91,"title":136,"url":137,"covers":138},"GBIF: Messor wasmanni Krausse, 1910, occurrence records by country (Greece, Croatia, Italy, Corsica, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Turkey, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the English name Wasmann’s harvester ant from the Catalogue of Life","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gbif.org\u002Fspecies\u002F1316357",[106],{"type":140,"title":141,"url":142,"covers":143},"careSheet","Antstore: Messor cf. wasmanni (sizes, colony form, founding, climate of nest and arena, winter rest, diet, nests, flight in September and October)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fshop\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002FAnts-from-South-Europe\u002FMessor-cf--wasmanni.html",[144,105,145],"husbandry","nuptialFlight",{"type":140,"title":147,"url":148,"covers":149},"AntCube: Messor cf. wasmanni (same data as the Antstore sheet, from the same company)","https:\u002F\u002Fantcube.shop\u002Fproduct\u002Fmessor-cf-wasmanni",[144,145],{"type":140,"title":151,"url":152,"covers":153},"Quality Ants: Messor wasmanni (sizes, nest temperature, winter rest from November to February, nest types, diet)","https:\u002F\u002Fqualityants.nl\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002Fmessor-wasmanni\u002F",[144,105],{"type":140,"title":155,"url":156,"covers":157},"AntsDavey: Messor wasmanni (queens collected during a nuptial flight in Greece, climate, winter rest, diet, sensitivity to light and vibration)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antsdavey.co.uk\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fmessor-wasmanni",[144,105],{"type":140,"title":159,"url":160,"covers":161},"Best Ants UK: Messor wasmanni (climate, feeding, winter rest)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bestantsuk.com\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fmessor-wasmanni",[144],{"type":140,"title":163,"url":164,"covers":165},"FormicaMarket: Messor wasmanni care guide (colony roles, climate, winter rest at about 12 degrees, diet, the only source with flights in May to July)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicamarket.com\u002Fde\u002Fant-database\u002Fmessor-wasmanni\u002F",[144,105,145],{"type":140,"title":167,"url":168,"covers":169},"Ants R Us: Messor wasmanni (nest climate and winter rest; calls the colonies polygyne, unlike the other sellers)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antsrus.com\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fmessor-wasmanni",[144],{"type":140,"title":171,"url":172,"covers":173},"Fourmiculture: Messor wasmanni (a Corsican species, queen size, winter rest, brood appearing only in spring)","https:\u002F\u002Ffourmiculture.com\u002Fen\u002Fproduct\u002Fmessor-wasmanni\u002F",[144,105,106],{"type":175,"title":176,"url":177,"covers":178},"forum","formicarium.it forum: Sciamatura Messor wasmanni (a flight of about a hundred winged ants near Terni, Italy, on 13 September 2012 at 11:30, after a heavy downpour; keepers note that autumn-flying species usually start laying in spring)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicarium.it\u002Fforum\u002Fviewtopic.php?f=58&t=5370",[145,105],{"type":175,"title":180,"url":181,"covers":182},"formicarium.it forum: Problema regine in Messor minor e wasmanni (Italian keepers: queens of both species found their colonies without food, and workers of the two species are hard to tell apart)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formicarium.it\u002Fforum\u002Fviewtopic.php?t=5289&start=30",[105,95],{"type":140,"title":184,"url":185,"covers":186},"Antkeeping.info: Messor wasmanni (nuptial flight months September to November)","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002Fmessor-wasmanni\u002F",[145],{"type":91,"title":188,"url":189,"covers":190},"AntFlights: prenuptial flight of Messor wasmanni, Lazio, Italy, 5 September 2024 (not yet confirmed on the site)","https:\u002F\u002Fantflights.com\u002Ff\u002F2259\u002Fprenuptial-flight-messor-wasmanni-lazio-italy",[145],{"type":91,"title":192,"url":193,"covers":194},"AntFlights: nuptial flight of Messor wasmanni, Galatsi, Greece, 9 October 2021 (not yet confirmed on the site)","https:\u002F\u002Fantflights.com\u002Ff\u002F1194\u002Fnuptial-flight-messor-wasmanni-greece",[145],{"type":175,"title":196,"url":197,"covers":198},"Formiculture: Messor cf. meridionale queens caught in Athens after a nuptial flight in the rain on 8 and 9 November 2017 (AntWiki says most records under the name meridionalis are Messor wasmanni)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F7482-messor-cf-meridionale-queens-for-sale\u002F",[145],{"type":140,"title":200,"url":201,"covers":202},"Ant Shack: Messor wasmanni (climate, humidity gradient, autumn flights after the first heavy rains)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ant-shack.com\u002Fpages\u002Fencyclopedia-entry\u002Fmessor-wasmanni",[144,145],{"type":91,"title":204,"url":205,"covers":206},"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",[207],"legal",{"type":91,"title":209,"url":210,"covers":211},"Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), Anlage 1: protected species in Germany","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesetze-im-internet.de\u002Fbartschv_2005\u002Fanlage_1.html",[207],{"type":91,"title":213,"url":214,"covers":215},"MITECO: Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Alien Species, arthropods","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.miteco.gob.es\u002Fen\u002Fbiodiversidad\u002Ftemas\u002Fconservacion-de-especies\u002Fespecies-exoticas-invasoras\u002Fce_eei_artropodos_nc.html",[207],{"type":91,"title":217,"url":218,"covers":219},"Japan Ministry of the Environment: list of designated invasive alien species (Invasive Alien Species Act)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.env.go.jp\u002Fnature\u002Fintro\u002F2outline\u002Flist.html",[207],"species\u002Fmessor-wasmanni","Myrmicinae",[223,224],22,26,"Stenammini",[227,228],4,8,"WZxfo0nalRqHzNexJHR5BeSh7f9CUxa6D2NlHSc--rQ","messor-wasmanni","Messor","Wasmann's harvester ant",[],"A big-headed seed harvester of sunny Italian and Balkan grasslands, with tidy trails to its nest and a name still written with a cautious cf.",{"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":220,"tagline":234,"__hash__":272},"speciesProfiles\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-wasmanni.md","Messor Wasmanni",{"type":239,"value":240,"toc":241},"minimark",[],{"title":242,"searchDepth":47,"depth":47,"links":243},"",[],"md",[246,249,252],{"question":247,"answer":248},"Why is Messor wasmanni often sold as Messor cf. wasmanni?","The cf. means the identification is likely but not confirmed. Messor wasmanni was described in 1910 from Sardinia as a subspecies of Messor barbarus, and a 2021 study calls it mostly an Eastern Mediterranean species, suspects that some ants with a reddish thorax were taken for it when they are really Messor bouvieri, and says a neotype should be designated to fix the name. Specialists also write Messor cf. wasmanni in their own papers, so the cautious label is honest and not just a shop habit.",{"question":250,"answer":251},"What do wild Messor wasmanni eat?","A field study on the Croatian island of Cres found that plant material, mostly seeds and fruits, made up the vast majority of what the workers carried home. They took seeds from the ground and straight from the plants. Animal remains such as dead insects and snail shells were only a small share, and the ants were never seen hunting, though they did pick up living snails. The nests are easy to spot because of their clearly marked trunk trails.",{"question":253,"answer":254},"Does Messor wasmanni hybridize with other Messor species?","In Italy it does. A genetic and morphological study found mixed colonies and gene flow in both directions between Messor minor and Messor cf. wasmanni, with hybrids that appear to be fertile, while Messor capitatus living in the same habitat showed no sign of hybridizing. Some of those colonies held workers that looked intermediate between the species.","Workers come in many sizes, from small minors to big-headed majors, and the big ones usually have a red thorax and a darker, glossy gaster, never all black like Messor capitatus. Messor minor and reddish Messor bouvieri can be hard to tell apart from it, and cf. in the trade name means the identification is unconfirmed, so this sheet follows the form that European shops sell under it.","en",{},true,[260,263,265,268],{"kind":261,"text":262},"tip","Offer whole seed heads of grasses now and then, not only loose seeds: in the wild these ants pick seeds straight from the plant as well as from the ground.",{"kind":261,"text":264},"Give the colony one dry chamber for the seed store and a separate moist one for the brood, and never spray water into the nest, because wet seeds sprout or mold. Cover every open water spot with small stones or cotton, since Messor workers drown easily.",{"kind":266,"text":267},"watchOut","A queen caught after the autumn flight usually starts laying only in spring, after the winter rest, so an empty-looking test tube all winter is normal. Keep it dark and quiet instead of checking on her.",{"kind":266,"text":269},"Care sheets describe young colonies as very sensitive to light and vibration, so keep the nest dark and on a stable surface instead of a shelf that gets bumped.","\u002Fspecies\u002Fmessor-wasmanni",{"description":242},"eg8EyprOnaEbmBumOoJVbMWfqnQB77VV7msb1ym9Sos",[274,275,276,277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284],"Albania","Bosnia & Herzegovina","Bulgaria","Croatia","France","Greece","Italy","Montenegro","North Macedonia","Slovenia","Türkiye",[286,287,288],{"name":63,"slug":43},{"name":64,"slug":43},{"name":65,"slug":289},"messor-capitatus",[291,309,330],{"slug":292,"scientificName":293,"genus":231,"nickname":294,"aliases":295,"tagline":296,"image":297,"experience":38,"guide":43,"difficulty":28,"workerSize":298,"majorSize":66,"queenSize":299,"temperature":300,"hibernation":302,"hibernationTemperature":303,"hibernationBand":305,"sizeClass":306,"founding":41,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":307},"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.jpg",[227,228],[75,46],[223,301],28,"recommended",[49,304],18,"mild","large",[83,308],"northAfrica",{"slug":310,"scientificName":311,"genus":231,"nickname":312,"aliases":313,"tagline":316,"image":317,"experience":318,"guide":319,"difficulty":320,"workerSize":321,"majorSize":80,"queenSize":323,"temperature":325,"hibernation":44,"hibernationTemperature":327,"hibernationBand":305,"sizeClass":306,"founding":41,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":329},"messor-barbarus","Messor barbarus","Harvester ant",[314,315],"Mediterranean harvester ant","Barbary harvester ant","A calm, clumsy seed harvester with huge-headed majors, and my top pick for beginners.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002FMessor_barbarus_major_2.jpeg","firstHand","how-to-care-for-messor-barbarus","1",[322,228],3,[80,324],17,[326,224],21,[46,328],16,[82,308],{"slug":289,"scientificName":65,"genus":231,"nickname":331,"aliases":332,"tagline":333,"image":334,"experience":38,"guide":43,"difficulty":28,"workerSize":335,"majorSize":336,"queenSize":337,"temperature":338,"hibernation":44,"hibernationTemperature":339,"hibernationBand":340,"sizeClass":306,"founding":41,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":341},"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.jpg",[227,228],13,[336,49],[223,301],[66,49],"cool",[82,308],[343,350,356],{"id":344,"title":345,"description":346,"image":347,"categoryText":348,"path":349},"blog\u002Fhow-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial.md","How To Make a Test Tube Setup - Ant Keeping Basics","In this tutorial you will learn how to make a test tube setup, the best way to create the optimal environment for a newly mated queen ant!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_test_tube_setup_tutorial_new.png","Ant Keeping Basics","\u002Fhow-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial",{"id":351,"title":352,"description":353,"image":354,"categoryText":348,"path":355},"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","\u002Fhow-to-hibernate-your-ants",{"id":357,"title":358,"description":359,"image":360,"categoryText":361,"path":362},"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",1791900226178]