[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":340},["ShallowReactive",2],{"species-sheet-\u002Fspecies\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli":3},{"species":4,"profile":219,"countryNames":258,"lookalikes":261,"similar":263,"posts":318},{"id":5,"authority":6,"colonyStructure":7,"confidence":8,"countries":11,"defense":14,"diet":16,"difficulty":19,"dryHumidity":20,"escapeRisk":10,"estimated":21,"experience":28,"extension":29,"finder":30,"founding":31,"growth":32,"guide":20,"hibernation":33,"hibernationMonths":20,"hibernationTemperature":20,"humidity":34,"image":37,"imageCredit":38,"imageHeight":42,"imageWidth":43,"interests":20,"keptSince":20,"legal":44,"lookalikes":47,"majorSize":20,"maxWorkers":49,"meta":50,"nests":51,"nuptialFlightMonths":55,"nuptialFlightTime":58,"nuptialFlightTriggers":59,"polymorphism":61,"queenSize":62,"regions":65,"relatedPosts":67,"reviewedAt":46,"scientificName":71,"sources":72,"stem":203,"subfamily":204,"temperature":205,"tribe":208,"workerSize":209,"__hash__":211,"slug":212,"genus":213,"nickname":214,"aliases":215,"tagline":218},"species\u002Fspecies\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli.yml","(André, 1893)","monogyne",{"biology":9,"husbandry":10,"nuptialFlight":10},"high","medium",[12,13],"US","MX",[15],"bite",[17,18],"insects","sugar","4",null,[22,23,24,25,26,27],"temperature","humidity","nuptialFlightMonths","workerSize","queenSize","maxWorkers","compiled","yml",false,"claustral","fast","none",[35,36],50,70,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli.jpg",{"author":39,"license":40,"url":41},"Jake Nitta (froggy143)","CC BY 4.0","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations\u002F145002014",800,1200,{"status":45,"checked":46},"free","2026-10-11",[48],"Novomessor albisetosus",5000,{},[52,53,54],"ytong","acrylic","naturalistic",[56,57],7,8,"evening",[60],"rain","monomorphic",[63,64],11,14,[66],"northAmerica",[68,69,70],"how-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial","how-to-make-a-ytong-nest","the-best-conditions-to-keep-ants-the-ant-pod","Novomessor cockerelli",[73,80,84,88,92,97,102,106,111,115,119,125,129,133,137,141,145,149,153,158,162,166,170,174,178,182,186,191,195,199],{"type":74,"title":75,"url":76,"covers":77},"paper","Hölldobler and Carlin (1989), Psyche 96: Colony founding, queen control and worker reproduction in the ant Aphaenogaster (= Novomessor) cockerelli (monogynous, claustral founding, July flights at dusk, trophic eggs instead of regurgitation)","https:\u002F\u002Fgroups.csail.mit.edu\u002Fmac\u002Fprojects\u002Fpsyche\u002F96\u002F96-131.html",[78,79],"biology","nuptialFlight",{"type":74,"title":81,"url":82,"covers":83},"Whitford, DePree and Johnson (1980), Insectes Sociaux 27: Foraging ecology of two Chihuahuan Desert ant species, Novomessor cockerelli and N. albisetosus (nearly half of the forage of N. cockerelli was insects, foraging in the evening and morning, protein extends foraging)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002Fbf02229250",[78],{"type":74,"title":85,"url":86,"covers":87},"Whitford and Ettershank (1975), Environmental Entomology 4: Factors affecting foraging activity in Chihuahuan Desert harvester ants (activity between 4 and 52 °C, about 1000 foragers in N. cockerelli colonies)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1093\u002Fee\u002F4.5.689",[78],{"type":74,"title":89,"url":90,"covers":91},"Buffin, Sasaki and Pratt (2018), PLoS ONE: Scaling of speed with group size in cooperative transport by the ant Novomessor cockerelli (recruitment by chemical and sound signals, group carrying of large items)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1371\u002Fjournal.pone.0205400",[78],{"type":74,"title":93,"url":94,"covers":95},"Demarco and Cognato (2015), Annals of the Entomological Society of America 108: Phylogenetic analysis of Aphaenogaster supports the resurrection of Novomessor","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1093\u002Faesa\u002Fsau013",[96],"taxonomy",{"type":98,"title":99,"url":100,"covers":101},"reference","Catalogue of Life: Novomessor cockerelli (André, 1893), Myrmicinae, Stenammini","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.catalogueoflife.org\u002Fdata\u002Ftaxon\u002FCMDXB",[96],{"type":98,"title":103,"url":104,"covers":105},"AntCat: Novomessor cockerelli (André, 1893), originally Aphaenogaster cockerelli, type locality Chihuahua","https:\u002F\u002Fantcat.org\u002Fcatalog\u002F462077",[96],{"type":98,"title":107,"url":108,"covers":109},"AntWiki: Novomessor cockerelli (identification against N. albisetosus, bite but no working sting)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antwiki.org\u002Fwiki\u002FNovomessor_cockerelli",[96,78,110],"distribution",{"type":98,"title":112,"url":113,"covers":114},"GBIF: Novomessor cockerelli (André, 1893), occurrence records by country and state","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gbif.org\u002Fspecies\u002F11772898",[110],{"type":98,"title":116,"url":117,"covers":118},"Wikipedia: Novomessor cockerelli (range, habitat, foraging, nest plugging, queen control)","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FNovomessor_cockerelli",[96,78,110],{"type":120,"title":121,"url":122,"covers":123},"careSheet","Stateside Ants: Novomessor cockerelli care guide (heat, hydration gradient, fully claustral, protein before seeds, mites)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.statesideants.com\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli-care",[124,78],"husbandry",{"type":120,"title":126,"url":127,"covers":128},"Stateside Ants: top 10 native ant species for beginners (listed as the Cockerell harvester ant, almost as beginner-friendly as N. albisetosus, no diapause needed, fast-growing, depends on protein and does not store food, less inclined to harvest seeds)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.statesideants.com\u002Fpost\u002Ftop-10-native-ant-species-for-beginners",[124],{"type":120,"title":130,"url":131,"covers":132},"Buckeye Myrmecology: Novomessor cockerelli (heat, diet, escape barriers, colony size, rated easy)","https:\u002F\u002Fbuckeyemyrmecology.com\u002Fproduct\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli\u002F",[124,78],{"type":120,"title":134,"url":135,"covers":136},"AntGear: Desert long-legged ants, Novomessor cockerelli (heat gradient, moist and dry ends, fluon, no cold diapause)","https:\u002F\u002Fantgear.com\u002Fproduct\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli",[124],{"type":120,"title":138,"url":139,"covers":140},"Ant Antics: Novomessor cockerelli (sizes, climate, colony size, nest types)","https:\u002F\u002Fantantics.wales\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli-desert-harvester",[124,78],{"type":120,"title":142,"url":143,"covers":144},"AntsDavey: Novomessor cockerelli (sizes, climate, seeds, nest types, wild nests)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antsdavey.co.uk\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli",[124,78],{"type":120,"title":146,"url":147,"covers":148},"MrowSon: Novomessor cockerelli (sizes, climate, diet)","https:\u002F\u002Fmrowson.pl\u002F?p=8392",[124,78],{"type":120,"title":150,"url":151,"covers":152},"Ant Shack: Novomessor cockerelli care sheet (climate ranges)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ant-shack.com\u002Fpages\u002Fencyclopedia-entry\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli",[124],{"type":154,"title":155,"url":156,"covers":157},"forum","Formiculture: Novomessor cockerelli workers die (2020: newly hatched workers dying in small colonies, protein, condensation, no hibernation needed)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F14929-novomessor-cockerelli-workers-die",[124],{"type":154,"title":159,"url":160,"covers":161},"Formiculture: Novomessor cockerelli hibernation (2020: kept warm all year, cooling only to room temperature at most)","https:\u002F\u002Fformiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F14784-novomessor-cockerelli-hibernation",[124],{"type":154,"title":163,"url":164,"covers":165},"Formiculture: Diapause or cooling for Novomessor cockerelli (2023: keepers disagree, most heat all year)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F20707-diapause-or-cooling-for-novomessor-cockerelli\u002F",[124],{"type":154,"title":167,"url":168,"covers":169},"Formiculture: How do I raise Novomessor cockerelli (2021: very warm, dry nest, protein before seeds)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F16820-how-do-i-raise-novomessor-cockrelli\u002F",[124],{"type":154,"title":171,"url":172,"covers":173},"Formiculture: Tucson, AZ 7-24-20 (queens found the morning after the first monsoon rains)","https:\u002F\u002Fformiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F13966-tucson-az-7-24-20-3",[79,78],{"type":154,"title":175,"url":176,"covers":177},"Formiculture: Novomessor cockerelli male and female (Tucson, unmated queens in the nest on 28 June, more queens collected in July and August)","https:\u002F\u002Fformiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F11395-novomessor-cockerelli-male-and-female",[79],{"type":154,"title":179,"url":180,"covers":181},"Formiculture: Novomessor cockerelli very high activity (2020: warm colony, small test tube setup, mound building)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.formiculture.com\u002Ftopic\u002F14788-novomessor-cockerelli-very-high-activity",[124],{"type":98,"title":183,"url":184,"covers":185},"iNaturalist: Novomessor cockerelli observations annotated as male (7 of 11 in July, all between June and September, most in the late afternoon or evening)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations?taxon_id=482380&term_id=9&term_value_id=11",[79],{"type":98,"title":187,"url":188,"covers":189},"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",[190],"legal",{"type":98,"title":192,"url":193,"covers":194},"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",[190],{"type":98,"title":196,"url":197,"covers":198},"Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), Anlage 1: protected species in Germany","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesetze-im-internet.de\u002Fbartschv_2005\u002Fanlage_1.html",[190],{"type":98,"title":200,"url":201,"covers":202},"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",[190],"species\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli","Myrmicinae",[206,207],27,32,"Stenammini",[56,210],10,"LKiuVHmagI10Fdunf-Ar2_sPnnATbBlcdIMwhe1rXO8","novomessor-cockerelli","Novomessor","Desert harvester ant",[216,217],"Cockerell's harvester ant","Desert long-legged ant","A leggy desert scavenger whose workers team up to haul prey far too big for a single ant.",{"id":220,"title":221,"aliases":215,"body":222,"description":226,"extension":229,"faqs":230,"identification":240,"language":241,"meta":242,"navigation":243,"nickname":214,"notes":244,"path":255,"seo":256,"stem":203,"tagline":218,"__hash__":257},"speciesProfiles\u002Fspecies\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli.md","Novomessor Cockerelli",{"type":223,"value":224,"toc":225},"minimark",[],{"title":226,"searchDepth":227,"depth":227,"links":228},"",2,[],"md",[231,234,237],{"question":232,"answer":233},"How do Novomessor cockerelli workers carry food that is too big for one ant?","A scout that finds an item too large to move alone calls nestmates with chemical and sound signals, and a small team gathers around the load, with the porters pulling it backward toward the nest. In experiments with this species a lone ant carrying its share of a load was faster than any group, so working in a group does not make each porter quicker; it lets the colony bring home big prey that no single worker could move.",{"question":235,"answer":236},"Do Novomessor cockerelli workers feed the queen?","Not mouth to mouth. In the lab, food exchange by regurgitation did not occur in this species, and while the queen is present the workers lay only trophic eggs, which appear to be her main source of food. The queen therefore depends on a well-fed colony that can produce them. If she is lost, some workers start laying eggs that develop only into males, and the colony dies out once those males have emerged and the workers have reached the end of their lives.",{"question":238,"answer":239},"Is Novomessor cockerelli really a seed harvester?","Only in part, despite its common name. In the Chihuahuan Desert nearly half of what its workers collected was insects or insect parts, while its close relative Novomessor albisetosus collected far fewer. Keepers see the same pattern: it takes protein eagerly, rarely stockpiles seeds and sometimes ignores a seed mix, although a few shops say seeds can make up about half of the diet. Offer seeds as a supplement, not as the main food.","Large, slender, long-legged ants, brown to reddish-brown with a blackish gaster, a long narrow head and two spines on the back of the thorax. Novomessor albisetosus looks very similar and is told apart by the shape of the head, so check the head before assuming which of the two you have.","en",{},true,[245,248,251,253],{"kind":246,"text":247},"tip","Heat is the main lever. Keep part of the nest hot and leave a cooler, moister corner: colonies kept at room temperature stagnate, while warm ones raise new workers in about a month. Keep the heat source away from the water reservoir so no condensation forms.",{"kind":249,"text":250},"watchOut","Feed more protein than seeds. The workers take insects much more readily than seeds and do not build up food stores like their seed-hoarding relatives, so long gaps between feedings are risky. Some keepers lost freshly hatched workers in small colonies without ever finding the cause; fattier prey and more warmth were the usual suggestions. Clear leftovers within a day, because rotting protein brings mites and mold.",{"kind":249,"text":252},"These are desert ants, so keep most of the nest on the dry side and offer only a small moist retreat for the brood. An over-watered nest made one colony abandon it, and keepers stress that these ants like it dry.",{"kind":249,"text":254},"Fast, agile and endlessly curious, they test every edge of the outworld, so use a snug lid and a reliable barrier such as fluon, and renew it regularly.","\u002Fspecies\u002Fnovomessor-cockerelli",{"description":226},"lOzbmIvtk_MtQmiAqNiv9hX6VvTnUcXdEOFN_DAPrGY",[259,260],"Mexico","United States",[262],{"name":48,"slug":20},[264,286,301],{"slug":265,"scientificName":266,"genus":267,"nickname":268,"aliases":269,"tagline":271,"image":272,"experience":28,"guide":20,"difficulty":19,"workerSize":273,"majorSize":275,"queenSize":276,"temperature":279,"hibernation":33,"hibernationTemperature":20,"hibernationBand":33,"sizeClass":282,"founding":31,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":283},"camponotus-maculatus","Camponotus maculatus","Camponotus","Spotted sugar ant",[270],"African carpenter ant","A fast-growing, big-headed carpenter ant from Africa with a yellowish thorax and a spotted gaster, and no need for a winter rest.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus.jpg",[274,210],6,16,[277,278],15,18,[280,281],24,28,"large",[284,285],"africa","middleEast",{"slug":287,"scientificName":288,"genus":267,"nickname":289,"aliases":290,"tagline":291,"image":292,"experience":28,"guide":20,"difficulty":19,"workerSize":293,"majorSize":295,"queenSize":296,"temperature":297,"hibernation":33,"hibernationTemperature":20,"hibernationBand":33,"sizeClass":282,"founding":31,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":299},"camponotus-nicobarensis","Camponotus nicobarensis","Nicobar carpenter ant",[],"An adaptable, fast-growing carpenter ant from Asia that forages mostly by night and does not need a winter rest.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-nicobarensis.jpg",[294,57],5,12,[64,275],[298,281],22,[300],"asia",{"slug":302,"scientificName":303,"genus":267,"nickname":226,"aliases":304,"tagline":305,"image":306,"experience":28,"guide":20,"difficulty":19,"workerSize":307,"majorSize":275,"queenSize":308,"temperature":309,"hibernation":312,"hibernationTemperature":313,"hibernationBand":314,"sizeClass":282,"founding":31,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":315},"camponotus-barbaricus","Camponotus barbaricus",[],"A shy, mostly nocturnal giant of the western Mediterranean that starts slowly, then grows into a huge colony once it has real warmth.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-barbaricus.jpg",[274,295],[275,278],[310,311],25,30,"recommended",[295,278],"mild",[316,317],"europe","northAfrica",[319,326,333],{"id":320,"title":321,"description":322,"image":323,"categoryText":324,"path":325},"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":327,"title":328,"description":329,"image":330,"categoryText":331,"path":332},"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":334,"title":335,"description":336,"image":337,"categoryText":338,"path":339},"blog\u002Fthe-best-conditions-to-keep-ants-the-ant-pod.md","The Best Conditions To Keep Ants - The Ant Pod","Temperature, humidity and pests: heating mats, hydration setups, how to spot and control mites, and why the best setup mimics each species' natural habitat.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fthe_ant_pod_30_the_best_conditions_to_keep_ants.jpg","Podcasts","\u002Fthe-best-conditions-to-keep-ants-the-ant-pod",1791900226660]