Messor capitatus || Queen ant
Messor capitatus || Queen ant
- Nivel: Requiere atención
- Hibernación: Sí (Noviembre-febrero (aprox.))
Necesita hibernación — no apta si no puedes bajar la temperatura en invierno.
Live animal shipping
- Shipped Mondays and Tuesdays
- Includes heat pack and insulated box, at no extra cost
- We hold the shipment if your area drops below 5°C or exceeds 30°C. We'll let you know beforehand.
At no cost. We'll message you before shipping.
Live arrival guarantee
If the colony arrives dead, we'll replace it or refund you. Here are the full terms, right here.
- Plazo para reclamar
- 48 hours from delivery
- Prueba necesaria
- Photos or video of the unopened package and its contents as they arrive.
- Qué cubre
- The queen, always. Workers, if more than 20% arrive dead.
- Qué hacemos
- Replacement on the next available shipment or a refund. You choose.
- Qué la anula
- A package left outside or not picked up after the delivery notice.
Está prohibido liberar hormigas en el medio natural. En España es una infracción sancionable conforme a la normativa de conservación de la naturaleza y de especies exóticas invasoras.
Messor capitatus: Queen Ant
The Messor capitatus queen is an option for starting a colony from its early stages and observing its evolution calmly.
- Key features of Messor capitatus: seed-based diet, calm behavior.
- Allows observation of the initial development of Messor capitatus.
- It is recommended to prepare for hydration, darkness, and tranquility before receiving it.
- Highlighted material: seeds.
Before buying: Confirm availability, season, care, and shipping conditions before completing your order.
Species profile
Identificación
- Nombre científico
- Messor capitatus (Latreille, 1798)
- Subfamilia
- Myrmicinae
- Distribución
- Cuenca mediterránea occidental: España, Francia (incl. fachada atlántica hasta el sur de Bretaña), Italia
- Forma de colonia
- Monoginia
Tamaño
- Reina (mm)
- 13.0
- Obrera (mm)
- 4-12 mm (polimórfica)
- Polimorfismo
- Sí
- Casta soldado
- Sí
Condiciones
- Temperatura del nido (°C)
- 22-28 °C (óptimo 25-30 °C)
- Temperatura del área de forrajeo (°C)
- Sin dato verificado específico y diferenciado del nido
- Humedad del nido (%)
- 20-50%, con cámaras húmedas y cámaras secas para almacenar semillas
- Humedad del área de forrajeo (%)
- Sin dato verificado específico
Ciclo
- Hibernación
- Sí
- Ventana de hibernación
- Noviembre-febrero (aprox.)
- Temperatura de hibernación (°C)
- 5-10 °C
- Tipo de fundación
- Claustral
- Época de vuelo nupcial
- Otoño; los sexuados se producen en verano, con enjambrazón masiva en otoño
Desarrollo
- Velocidad de crecimiento
- Lenta
- Tamaño máximo de la colonia
- Hasta unas 50 000 obreras
- Longevidad de la colonia
- Género con reinas potencialmente muy longevas (fuente de aficionados, no paper científico; usar con cautela)
- Dieta
- Semillas, Insectos
Estado legal en España: Nativa
Actual size
- Moneda de 1 €
- 23,25 mm
- Reina
- 13,0 mm
Scale comparison. The queen is the largest individual in the colony.
How does the colony travel?
The colony travels in its test tube with a water reservoir, inside an insulated box and with a heat pack when needed. We ship on Mondays and Tuesdays so the package doesn't spend the weekend in a warehouse.
What if it's very cold or very hot?
We hold the shipment while your area is below 5°C or above 30°C, and we'll let you know beforehand. You can also request this yourself by checking "Hold my shipment until the weather is safe" when adding to cart.
What happens if it arrives dead?
Message us within 48 hours of delivery with photos or a video of the unopened package and its contents. We'll replace the colony on the next available shipment or refund you: your choice.
Can I release the ants into the wild if I give up the hobby?
No. Releasing ants into the wild is prohibited and a punishable offense under Spanish regulations on nature conservation and invasive alien species. Message us and we'll help you find a responsible solution.