Feeding Messor ibericus

Mediterranean harvester, needs close to M. barbarus.

What does Messor ibericus eat?

Protein: low demand.
Sugar: low demand.
Seeds: the staple food (harvester): a small stock of varied, untreated seeds.

Calculator figures for moderate brood at 24 °C:

WORKERS	PROTEIN	SUGAR	SEEDS
10	1 fruit fly · Every 5 days	little or none	0.02 g / week
50	2 fruit flies · Every 4 days	little or none	0.08 g / week
150	2 juvenile crickets · Every 7 days	little or none	0.2 g / week
400	¼ medium cricket · Every 7 days	little or none	0.6 g / week

1 fruit fly ≈ a 2–3 mm insect; a medium cricket (1 cm) is about 50 fruit flies. 1 drop ≈ 0.05 mL.

Adjust to what you see: if food is left after 24 h, give less; if it all goes fast and the brood grows, give more.

Claustral founding: the queen lives on her reserves, do not feed her before the first workers.

From November to February, 10–15 °C.